(The Nosher via JTA) — I don’t know when the craze over “unicorn foods” became the trend, but it’s hard to scroll through Facebook or visit a Starbucks without seeing an explosion of pastel colors and sweet flavors. My colleague Rachel Edelman created some eye-catching unicorn hamantaschen for Purim this year and another colleague, Naomi Elberg of TGIS challah (check out her crazy challahs on Instagram!), has been cranking out some gorgeous, unicorn-inspired challahs just in the past few weeks.
1 batch challah (can use any recipe you prefer)
1 egg, beaten for glaze
Food coloring such as pink, purple, teal, yellow, baby blue
Marshmallow fluff
Sprinkles, colored candies, shredded coconut or other edible decorations
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk or almond milk
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Prepare challah dough, but before adding all flour, divide liquidy dough into 3 even portions in bowls.
Add a few drops of food coloring (different colors) to each bowl.
Add remaining flour (divide into 3 parts) to each portion of dough. Knead until dough comes together. Dough should be slightly firm and bounce back when touched.
Cover each bowl with a warm, damp towel and allow to rise 2-3 hours.
Divide each piece of dough into 2 equal parts. (You are creating 2 medium-size loaves of challah, each with 3 colors.)
Roll out each piece of dough and press down to flatten slightly. Add around 1/4 cup of marshmallow fluff inside dough. Pinch up, closing fluff inside dough and roll each piece gently into a rope. Repeat with all dough.
Create two 3-braid challah loaves, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Allow to rise another 30-45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush each challah with beaten egg.
Bake for 23-26 minutes, until challah is golden on top.
Allow to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, milk (or almond milk) and lemon juice. Whisk until a thick frosting forms.
Spread frosting on top of each challah. Top with sprinkles, colored chocolate chips or candies, coconut or other decorations.
(Shannon Sarna is the editor of The Nosher.)