Photo: Leela Cyd

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A Different Kind of Babka
It turns out that chocolaty bread isn't the only babka. In her new book, Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking, Bonnie Frumkin Morales explains that in Belarus (where the average temperature in January is around 24 degrees), babka is a type of warm-you-right-up casserole. Potato babka is the most common of this genre, and her version gets sweetness and color from grated carrot. There's also a smoky flavor from diced slab bacon, and a gorgeous (optional) soufleé topping that sounds more complicated than it really is: You just spread a mixture of whisked mayonnaise and egg over the top of the baked casserole and broil it for a few minutes until it's puffy and golden-brown.

Get the recipe: Potato and Carrot Babka