Celebrating With Kugel
Kugel is rich, sweet, and reminds me of family get-togethers where people travel from far and wide to share in a common celebration. It may be considered traditional Shabbat dinner fare by some, but I think of it more as a holiday dish. Kugel is simple to prepare but requires time to bake and cool. Because of this, serving it feels celebratory.
The noodle filling and the crunchy, buttery cornflake topping are spiced with fragrant cinnamon, giving it a serious holiday flair. Kugel would be cooking at home for Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, Rosh Hashanah, or even—dare I say it—Christmas dinner. In my own interfaith household, good food knows no boundaries.
What you’ll need To Make Noodle Kugel
Begin by boiling the noodles.
To make the streusel topping, put the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Using your fingers, stir until the brown sugar is completely combined.
Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture begins to crumble and clump.
Refrigerate until ready to use. (FYI: You can make the streusel during the baking process; the kugel bakes without it at first.) ).
Next, make the custard. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
Add the sour cream and softened cream cheese.
Mix thoroughly and add the half-
Whisk until completely smooth.
Spread the cooked noodles evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the custard mixture evenly over top.
Bake the dish for 35 minutes with the aluminum foil securely covering it. The custard should be just set.
Making sure to cover all of the noodles, evenly distribute the streusel topping over the dish.
Continue baking for another 35 to 40 minutes, or until the streusel topping is crispy.
After allowing it to cool for roughly 20 minutes, cut it into squares and serve.
Make Ahead Kugel
The day before, you can prepare the kugel by combining the noodles and filling, pouring it into the casserole dish, covering it tightly with plastic wrap, and storing it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
When the kugel is ready to bake, prepare the cornflake topping, take off the casserole’s plastic wrap, sprinkle the topping on top of the kugel, cover with foil, and bake according to the recipe. It may need an extra 10 minutes to bake.