Breaking Breads: A New World of Israeli Baking--Flatbreads, Stuffed Breads, Challahs, Cookies, and the Legendary Chocolate Babka

(Hardback)

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Israeli baking encompasses the influences of so many regionsMorocco, Yemen, Germany and Georgia, to name afewand master baker Uri Scheft seamlessly marries all of these in his incredible baked goods at his Breads Bakery in NewYork City and Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv. Nutella-filled babkas, potato and shakshuka focaccia and chocolate rugelachare pulled out of the ovens several times an hour for waiting crowds. In Breaking Breads, Scheft takes the combinedinfluences of his Scandinavian heritage, his European pastry training and his Israeli and New York City homes to providesweet and savoury baking recipes that cover European, Israeli and Middle Eastern favourites. Scheft sheds new light on classics like challah, babka and ciabattaand provides his creative twists on them as well, showing how bakers can do thesame at homeand introduces his take on Middle Eastern daily breads like kubaneh and jachnun. The instructions aredetailed and the photos explanatory so that anyone can make Schefts Poppy Seed Hamantaschen, Cheese Bourekas andJerusalem Bagels, among other recipes. With several key dough recipes and hundreds of Israeli-, Middle Eastern-, EasternEuropean-, Scandinavian- and Mediterranean-influenced recipes, this is truly a global baking bible.

Reviews

From babka to breadsticks, Breaking Breads is a definitive guide.
Food Wine, The Best Cookbooks for 2016

A delight to contemplate, offering up utterly creative and beautiful challahs, babkas, rugelach, burekas, and pita, with a small array of savory dips, salads, and condiments at the end. Its baker porn.
The Boston Globe, The Seasons Best Cookbooks

Uri Schefts new cookbook falls midway between two trendsOld World baking and Israeli cuisineand the results are deeply satisfying. . . . Schefts recipes are fairly simple for a baking book, without the torturously long instructions many traditional methods can include. And there are plenty of sidebars, with tips.
Los Angeles Times, Our Favorite Cookbooks of Fall 2016

Stunning. . . . Scheft, the force behind Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv and Breads Bakery in New York, has contributed mightily to the canon of bread-focused books not only for his wizard use of Middle Eastern ingredients but also for helping to create such stunning process and technique photography.
The Washington Post, The Best Cookbooks of 2016

[Schefts] generously portioned recipes for basic doughs (e.g., challah, babka, brioche, flatbreads) lend themselves to endless variation, and general home bakers can use them to produce both simple rolls and dramatic, festive loaves. [The book] explains the doughs look and feel during all stages of preparation and includes plenty of step-by-step photographs to illustrate more challenging braiding, coiling, and other shaping techniques. . . . An essential modern Middle Eastern baking collection featuring delights such as shakshuka focaccia and chocolate rugelach.
Library Journal, starred review

No matter your heritage, this collection will expand your horizons.
Minneapolis Star Tribune

This beautiful book . . . provides a thorough look into the many influences that have shaped the world of Israeli baking . . . full of enough details and photos to encourage even a novice baker to bake.
Haaretz.com

Drawing from his Israeli heritage, childhood love of fresh breads, and global travels, Uri makes the international classics . . . and lesser-known European, Israeli, and Middle Eastern Breads . . . accessible for the home baker. . . . This cookbook is truly a bread bakers guide to Europe and the Middle East.
Bake from Scratch magazine

A bold and beautiful collection of updated classics and playful riffs.
The Forward

To sample Schefts chocolate babka is at once a blessing and a curse: Itll become an obsession. But thanks to [Breaking Breads] you can make it at homewith the help of step-by-step photograph instructions that ensure babka success.
TastingTable.com

Uri Scheft is the quintessential Israeli baker. His breads, pastries, and babkas have been blowing my mind
since I first ate them on the sidewalk of his bakery in Tel Aviv. This is the book that I have been yearning to
read."
Michael Solomonov, author and chef/owner of Zahav

"Uri Scheft's reader-friendly instructions, gleaned from a lifetime of baking, lead would-be bakers into the kitchen. I love this book."
Joan Nathan, author of King Solomon's Table

I've been waiting for Uri to reveal the secrets to his incredible babka and chocolate rugelach. He finally reveals them and more in Breaking Breads, which melds Middle Eastern flavors with modern tastes. I'm looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and baking my way through his groundbreaking book.
David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen

The ultimate modern guide to the world of global Jewish and Middle Eastern baking. Master baker Uri Scheft shares his craft and knowledge of craveable savory and sweet baked goods, inviting you to make them in your own home.
Lior Lev Sercarz, author and owner of La Bote

"From challah to kubaneh, burekas to pita, this is the most definitive and important book on Israeli breads and baking."
Einat Admony, author and chef/owner of Tam and Balaboosta

Author Bio

Master baker Uri Scheft is the owner of Breads Bakery, which had an immediate cult following when it opened in New YorkCitys Union Square in 2014. Scheft also owns Tel Avivs Lehamim Bakery, which has been open since 2001. Born in Israelto Danish parents, Scheft grew up in both Israel and Denmark and both of those influencesalong with his training inEuropeshow up in all that he bakes, including Scandinavian dark rye and marzipan-filled croissants and Jewish staples likechallah and babka. Scheft divides his time between Israel and the United States.