Chocolate Babka

I have wanted to bake this special cake ever since first seeing photos of it from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem book all over the blogosphere. It always looks stunning and delicious.

This version is an adaptation of the Chocolate Krantz Cakes in Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi from Smitten Kitchen.com. I loved that she had already made this babka FIVE times, and modified the recipe to perfection. Tried and true. Thank you, Deb Perelman! 🙂

Perelman’s adaptations included omitting the nuts, using granulated instead of superfine sugar, large instead of extra-large eggs, and reducing the amount of sugar syrup topping. She also modified the technique for ease. I melted the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and let the dough rise in a proofing drawer as well.

We enjoyed it warm from the oven for Easter dessert. Rich and wonderful.

Yield: 2 loaf-sized chocolate babkas

For the Dough:

• 4 1/4 cups (530 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast (rapid rise)
• grated zest of half an orange
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup water (cold is fine) and up to 1 to 2 tablespoons extra, if needed
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter (150 grams or 5.3 ounces), at room temperature
• Sunflower, Canola, other neutral oil, or cooking oil spray, for greasing

For the Filling:

• 4 1/2 ounces (130 grams) dark chocolate (I used 72% cacao dark chocolate)
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) unsalted butter, cold is fine
• scant 1/2 cup (50 grams) powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Sugar Syrup:

• 1/3 cup water
• 6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar

Make the dough:

1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and zest in the bottom of the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Add eggs and 1/2 cup water, mixing with the paddle or dough hook until it comes together; this may take a couple of minutes. (If it doesn’t come together, add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a mass.)
3. With the mixer on low, add the salt, then the butter, a spoonful at a time, mixing until it’s incorporated into the dough.
4. If using the paddle, switch to the dough hook. Mix on medium speed for 10 minutes until dough is completely smooth; you’ll need to scrape the bowl down a few times. After 10 minutes, the dough should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If not, add 1 tablespoon extra flour to help this along.
5. Coat a large bowl with oil (or scrape the dough out onto a counter and oil this one) and place dough inside, cover with plastic and refrigerate. Leave in fridge for at least half a day, preferably overnight. The dough will not fully double, so don’t be concerned if it doesn’t look like it grew by more than half.

Make the filling:

1. In a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate together until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in powdered sugar and cocoa; mixture should form a spreadable paste. Add cinnamon.

Assemble the loaves:

1. Coat two 9-by-4-inch (2 1/4 or 1 kg) loaf pans with cooking spray, oil or butter, and line the bottom of each with a rectangle of parchment paper.
2. Take half of dough from fridge (leave the other half chilled). Roll out on a well-floured counter to about a 10-inch width (the side closest to you) and as long in length (away from you) as you can when rolling it thin, likely 10 to 12 inches.
3. Spread half of chocolate mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around.
4. Brush the end farthest away from you with water. Roll the dough up with the filling into a long, tight cigar. Seal the dampened end onto the log.
5. Transfer the log to a plastic wrap-lined, rimmed baking tray. Place in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. (This allows the log to be cut in half more easily.) Repeat with second dough.
6. Trim last 1/2-inch off each end of log. Gently cut the log in half lengthwise and lay them next to each other on the counter, cut sides up. Pinch the top ends gently together. Lift one side over the next, forming a twist and trying to keep the cut sides facing out (because they’re pretty). Don’t worry if this step makes a mess, just transfer the twist as best as you can into the prepared loaf pan. (The dough will fill in any gaps by the time it’s done rising and baking, so don’t worry if the pan isn’t filled.) Note: Next time I would try crossing the dough more than once, if possible.
7. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise another 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a proofing drawer or at room temperature. Repeat process with second loaf.

Bake and finish cakes:

1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C), preferably on convection.
2. Remove towels, place each loaf on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A skewer inserted into an underbaked babka will feel stretchy/rubbery inside and may come back with dough on it. When fully baked, you’ll feel almost no resistance. If your babka needs more time, put it back, 5 minutes at a time then re-test. If it browns too quickly, you can cover it with foil.

While the babkas are baking, make the sugar syrup:

1. Bring sugar and water to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool somewhat.
2. As soon as the babkas leave the oven, brush the syrup all over each. It will seem like too much, but will taste just right — glossy and moist.
3. Let babkas cool about halfway in pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way before eating. (or serve warm!)

Do ahead: Babkas keep for a few days at room temperature. Reheat prior to serving, if desired. If longer, freeze them. They freeze and defrost well.

One Year Ago:

• Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies

Two Years Ago:

• Viennese Sablés
• Vanilla-Bean Sablés

Three Years Ago:

• Orange Chiffon Easter Bunny Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Four Years Ago:

• Easter Carrot Cake

Easter Paska

Happy Belated Easter! We had unseasonably warm weather and bright sunshine on Easter Sunday in New York. 🙂 In the afternoon, we visited a local swan to admire her impressive nest.

I made this buttery and eggy Eastern European Paska to enjoy for breakfast over Easter weekend. My daughter braided the dough for the decorative cross. She did such a great job! 🙂 It was such a light and fluffy loaf- really delicious. We ate it topped with butter and jam. It was also recommended to eat with kielbasa or leftover Easter ham.

This recipe was adapted from King Arthur Flour.com. I used a bread machine to knead the dough and omitted the sugar topping. It could have been used as a beautiful centerpiece as well.

Yield: 1 large loaf

For the Bread:

• 1 cup (8 oz) lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons/2 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 cups (21.25 oz) all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Topping:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• coarse sugar, like turbinado, optional (I omitted the sugar)

1. To make the dough: Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough. (I used a bread machine.)
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s noticeably puffy. (I placed it in a warming drawer on the “proof” setting.)
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide it into two pieces, one twice as large as the other. Take the larger piece, roll into a ball, and place it into a well-greased 9″ x 2″ round pan.
4. Divide the other piece of dough into three equal pieces, and roll each out into a 20″ strand; use the three strands to create one long braid. 
5. Place the braid around the inside edge of the pan, or use it to form a cross over the top of the larger piece of dough. 
6. Cover the loaf and let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. (I used a proofing oven.)
7. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F, preferably on convection, with a rack in the center.
8. To make the topping: In a small bowl, beat the egg with the water. Brush the mixture gently over the top of the risen loaf, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired.
9. Bake the bread for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it’s a rich golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool before cutting.

One Year Ago:

• Pear Clafoutis

Two Years Ago:

• Easter Babka

Three Years Ago:

• Whole Wheat Oat Bran-Raisin Muffins
• Johnnycake Bread

Four Years Ago:

• Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Aparts
• Sweet Brioche Dough

Easter Babka

My mother-in-law makes a traditional Ukrainian babka for Easter every year. I have always felt that I would like to do the same- but I felt intimidated. This year, I finally pulled out my Ukrainian cookbooks to search for the perfect recipe… and became even more intimidated!! First, I looked through recipes for Traditional Easter Paska, beautiful round loaves topped with elaborate dough ornamentation; they seemed more of a end-point than a starting point for my first attempt to make a special Easter bread.

When I saw this recipe for “Country” Babka, I knew it was more fitting. Rich, simple, and still festive. I was happy that it included raisins in the dough. We ate it lightly toasted with butter and/or jam with our colorful hard-boiled eggs for breakfast on Easter morning. This recipe was adapted from Traditional Ukrainian Cookery by Savella Stechishin. Happy (Belated!) Easter!!

For the Sponge:

• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1/2 cup scalded whole milk, lukewarm
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the Dough:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 T lemon zest
• 2 3/4  to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup raisins

1. Make the sponge: Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let it stand until softened. Combine with the lukewarm milk and 1/2 cup flour. Beat well, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until light and bubbly. (I placed mine in a proofing drawer for about 15 minutes.)
2. Make the dough while the sponge is rising: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the salt.
3. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until light.
4. Beat in the butter and lemon rind.
5. Combine the dough mixture with the sponge.
6. Stir in the flour and knead in the bowl (with the dough attachment) for about 10 minutes. The dough should be thick. Add more flour if needed to make it less sticky.
7. After the 10 minutes, knead in the raisins until evenly incorporated.
8. Cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place (I used a proofing oven) until double in bulk. (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours)
9. Punch down, knead a few times, and let it rise again until double in bulk. (In a proofing drawer- about 1 to 1 1/2 hours)
10. Generously butter a tall, round baking pan with soft butter (or spray with cooking spray). (I used an angel food cake pan.) Place the dough in the pan (It should fill 1/3 of the pan.)
11. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled or tripled in bulk (or until the dough reaches the brim of the pan- not the case in my angel food pan). (about 1 1/2 hours in a proofing oven)
12. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then cover with foil to prevent over-browning. (I did 15 min but would do 10 next time…)
13. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes.
14. Lower the oven temperature again to 275 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer. (I omitted this step, as my loaf baked more rapidly in the angel food cake pan.)
15. Let the dough stand in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes; remove to cool.

Note: Traditionally, Babka is sliced in rounds across the loaf. The sliced bottom crust serves as a protective cover, and it is put back to prevent the loaf from drying. (We deviated from this tradition, as I baked the loaf in an angel food pan, and, therefore cut more traditional slices.)

One Year Ago:

• Orange Chiffon Easter Bunny Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
• Whole Wheat Oat Bran-Raisin Muffins

Two Years Ago:

• Sweet Brioche Dough
• Apple Cinnamon Pull-Aparts