Rainbow Cookie Babka

If you grew up going to a Jewish deli or bakery, chances are you know and love the rainbow cookie. Sweet, chewy, almondy, and layered with jam, these colorful little cookies are a staple of Jewish bakeries across the country. But here's a fun fact: they're not actually Jewish!

Rainbow cookies have their roots in the Italian American immigrant community of New York City, dating back to the late 19th or early 20th century. Their signature red, white, and green layers were inspired by the Italian flag, making them a sweet tribute to Italian heritage.

So, how did an Italian cookie become such a beloved part of American Jewish food culture? Like so many of our favorite foods, the answer lies in New York City's immigrant history. As Italian and Jewish immigrants settled in neighborhoods like the Lower East Side, their culinary traditions began to overlap. Somewhere along the way, Jewish bakeries embraced these colorful almond cookies, and the rest is delicious history!

In the spirit of celebrating the delicious intersection of Italian and Jewish food traditions, I decided to take two of my favorite bakery classics and bring them together.

Introducing my Rainbow Cookie Babka! Think rich, buttery babka dough swirled with sweet almond filling and all the nostalgic flavors of a classic rainbow cookie. It's a little Italian, a little Jewish, and a whole lot of delicious.

Dough

½ Cup milk, warmed

1 Tablespoon instant yeast

2 Eggs

¼ Cup sugar

½ Teaspoon kosher salt

3 Cups all purpose flour

1/3 Cup cocoa powder

7 Tablespoons butter at room temperature

Filling

4 Eggs, separated

1 Cup sugar

8 oz Almond paste (I bought mine at Whole Foods)

2 ½ Sticks butter, softened

1 ½ Teaspoons almond extract

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

½ Teaspoon kosher salt

2 Cups all purpose flour

Red gel food coloring

Green gel food coloring

Add the warm milk, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Let stand for five minutes or until the yeast begins to bubble. Whisk in the eggs and salt.

Mix in the flour and cocoa powder until almost fully mixed. Add butter about 1 tablespoon at a time (make sure it’s at room temperature!) and mix until incorporated. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.

Turn out the dough and knead for just a few minutes until very smooth. Transfer to a greased bowl and let rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours until doubled.

Prepare the filling by beating the egg whites on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks.

While still beating the egg whites, add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, until the egg whites turn glossy. Transfer to another bowl.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat together the almond paste and the remaining ¾ cups of sugar. Start this on a low speed and increase as it begins to combine. This step will take some time, probably about 5 minutes.

Add in the butter and beat until pale and fluffy. Do not overbeat here or the mixture will start to break! If this happens, do not worry, it will come back together when you add the flour.

Add yolks and almond extract and vanilla extract and beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Take one third of the egg whites and fold into the batter. This will lighten the batter enough to fold in the rest of the egg whites without deflating them too much.

Fold in the next third of the egg whites, and then the final third. Divide the batter into 3 separate bowls. Using gel food coloring, dye one bowl red and one bowl green, leaving the last bowl white. Set aside.

Once the dough is done proofing, place on a floured surface and roll into a large rectangle. The dough should be as thin as you can get it. This ensures the most swirls inside the bread.

Spoon the 3 colors of filling over the dough. Using an offset spatula spread the filling over the dough in a thick layer. Starting on the edge closest to you begin to tightly roll the dough away from you until you run out of dough and are left with a log of dough. Pinch the ends together to ensure no filling leaks out while baking. Cut the log down the middle using a serrated knife.

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Fold the log in half and twist together to form the swirl.

Place the twisted babka in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Allow to rise for another half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the rainbow cookie filling comes out clean. If the top is getting too brown, cover with tin foil and continue to bake.

If desired, drizzle the top with melted chocolate after the babka cools.