# Anyone Here Make Bobalky?



## CarolPa (Dec 20, 2017)

For anyone who doesn't know, Bobalky is 1 inch size balls of bread that are mixed with butter and sauerkraut for Christmas Eve.  It's Slovak, or some other eastern European country.  It can also be mixed with poppyseed and honey for a dessert type rather than savory.

Anyway, my daughter wants to make it so I decided to make the balls home made rather than her paying $$$$ at the store for them.  I made them from frozen bread dough.  Now she mentioned the possibility of them getting moldy by the time she uses them on Christmas Eve.  I never thought about that.  Yesterday was the day I had time to make them.  I have them sitting out to air.  Do you think they will get moldy in that time period even if I don't have them in an airtight container?  I hate to think my effort was for naught.


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## CarolPa (Dec 20, 2017)

I'm laughing at myself, because I posted a thread about Bobalky back in 2013, and then, no one seemed to have heard of it.  Mostly the same people posting here now.  

I guess I could reword my question to "Would a loaf of home baked bread go moldy between now and Christmas Eve and what could I do to prevent it?"


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## CakePoet (Dec 20, 2017)

Bobalki, well  i freeze them, i never seen them savoury, I only seen them sweet.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 20, 2017)

Carol, they can definitely get moldy in a few days. I would freeze them. They will taste fine after thawing. You can toast them briefly to crisp them up.


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## JustJoel (Dec 24, 2017)

CarolPa said:


> For anyone who doesn't know, Bobalky is 1 inch size balls of bread that are mixed with butter and sauerkraut for Christmas Eve.  It's Slovak, or some other eastern European country.  It can also be mixed with poppyseed and honey for a dessert type rather than savory.
> 
> Anyway, my daughter wants to make it so I decided to make the balls home made rather than her paying $$$$ at the store for them.  I made them from frozen bread dough.  Now she mentioned the possibility of them getting moldy by the time she uses them on Christmas Eve.  I never thought about that.  Yesterday was the day I had time to make them.  I have them sitting out to air.  Do you think they will get moldy in that time period even if I don't have them in an airtight container?  I hate to think my effort was for naught.


I would love the recipe! Sounds really good, either savory or sweet. Is it like a babka? Or more like monkey bread?


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## CarolPa (Dec 29, 2017)

JustJoel said:


> I would love the recipe! Sounds really good, either savory or sweet. Is it like a babka? Or more like monkey bread?




It is neither.  Here's how I make it.  I defrost and rise a loaf of frozen bread dough.  This year I used 3 loaves.  After I punch down the dough, I take a piece the size of an egg and roll it into a rope, then use a spoon or knife to break off pieces into balls of 1 inch or a little less.  Place them on a baking pan and bake at 350 for maybe 20 minutes.  They will get firm but I don't let them get brown.  I do this a day or two ahead and let them sit out to dry out.  Then I saute onions in lots of butter, and add the drained sauerkraut.  Put the balls of dough in a big colander, then pour boiling water over them to moisten, but not soggy.  Mix together with the saurkraut mixture and serve.  There are also some who add even more melted butter, place it in a casserole dish and bake it.  

That is how my Slovak in-laws ate it on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  Some moisten the balls and use a mixture of poppy seed and honey for something that is like a dessert.  There's some kind of tradition that you throw a piece of it up on the ceiling and however long it sticks before falling down, is how many months of good luck you will have in the new year.  

I will look for recipes online and posts them for any who are interested.


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## CarolPa (Dec 29, 2017)

Here are recipes and information that I found.

https://www.thespruce.com/slovak-sweet-bobalki-recipe-1137371

This one has the story about throwing it up on the ceiling, but their reason is different.  LOL

Bobalky-Ancient Slovak Christmas Bread Page


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## Mad Cook (Dec 30, 2017)

CarolPa said:


> For anyone who doesn't know, Bobalky is 1 inch size balls of bread that are mixed with butter and sauerkraut for Christmas Eve.  It's Slovak, or some other eastern European country.  It can also be mixed with poppyseed and honey for a dessert type rather than savory.
> 
> Anyway, my daughter wants to make it so I decided to make the balls home made rather than her paying $$$$ at the store for them.  I made them from frozen bread dough.  Now she mentioned the possibility of them getting moldy by the time she uses them on Christmas Eve.  I never thought about that.  Yesterday was the day I had time to make them.  I have them sitting out to air.  Do you think they will get moldy in that time period even if I don't have them in an airtight container?  I hate to think my effort was for naught.


Freezer!


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