Chocolate Babka
The ultimate in desserts! I keep coming back to Martha Stewart's fabulous, delicious, extravagant chocolate bread. The word "babka" is Yiddish for the loaf that babas (grandmothers) baked. The trick to this recipe is to read it through and organize your ingredients ahead. Chop the chocolate a day in advance to reduce the amount of time you'll spend building the babka (Yes, there's a ton, but don't stint. That's why it's decadent.)
Freeze the babkas you're not going to need right away (see Note below) so you can have a fresh, knock-'em-out treat for planned guests. I always end up with far too much streusel, so either I make half or label and freeze leftovers for future use in other recipes.
Want the babka to disappear quickly? Plan your baking time so that there's about 20-30 minutes left when your guests arrive. Your house will smell deliriously of chocolate and cinnamon. Let the babka sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting, then watch it vanish amid conversation and coffee.
Here's another version with a hint of orange from Smitten Kitchen, also wonderful. Now you have even more options for indulging.
More bread recipes: Challah, No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Pillowy Buttermilk Buns, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni) Click here for more fabulous desserts..
Makes 3 loaves
Each babka can feed 10-15 people
Ingredients for Dough
1 1/2 cups warm milk, 110 degrees
2 packages active dry yeast or 1/10 lb. cake yeast
1 3/4 cups plus a pinch of sugar
3 whole large eggs, room temperature (2 to mix into the dough, 1 for an egg wash)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (14 oz. or 400 g.) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus more for the bowl and loaf pans
2 1/4 lbs. semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped (Yes, it's a lot. Use it all)
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Ingredients for Streusel Filling/Topping:
1 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (6 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
Method for Streusel Topping:
In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and butter. Using a fork, stir until fully combined with clumps ranging in size from crumbs to 1 inch. Makes 3 3/4 cups.
Method for Dough
1. Pour the warm milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and the pinch of sugar over milk; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and egg yolks. Add the egg mixture to the yeast mixture, and whisk to combine.
3. Combine the flour and salt. Add the egg mixture, and beat until almost all the flour is incorporated. Add 1 cup butter, and beat about 10 minutes, until the flour mixture and butter are completely incorporated, and a smooth, soft dough is formed that’s slightly sticky when squeezed.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few turns until smooth. Butter a large bowl. Place the dough in a bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
5. Combine the chocolate, the remaining 1 cup sugar, and the cinnamon in a large bowl. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the remaining 3/4 cup (6 oz.) butter with the other ingredients, until well mixed. Set the filling aside.
6. Generously butter three 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pans; line them with parchment paper. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon cream; set the egg wash aside. Punch back the dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Let rest 5 minutes. Cut it into 3 equal pieces. Keep 2 pieces covered with plastic wrap or a towel while working with the remaining piece. On a generously floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16-inch square; it should be 1/8 inch thick.
7. Brush the edges with the reserved egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of the reserved chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Refresh the egg wash if needed. Roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together to seal. Twist the roll evenly throughout the length, 5 or 6 turns. Brush the top of the roll with egg wash. Carefully crumble 2 tablespoons of the streusel filling/topping over the left half of the roll, being careful not to let the mixture slide off. Fold the right half of the roll over onto the coated left half. Fold the ends under, and pinch to seal. Twist the roll 2 turns, and fit into prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough and remaining filling.
Note: The babka can be prepared up to the end of step 7 and frozen before baking. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer, let stand at room temperature for about 5 hours, and proceed to step 8.
8. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the top of each loaf with egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of the streusel topping over each loaf. Loosely cover each pan with plastic wrap or a towel, and let stand in a warm place 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Bake the loaves until golden, about 55 minutes, rotating halfway through. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the babkas are deep golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the pans from the oven, and transfer to wire racks for a 10-15 minutes. Remove the babkas from the pans and serve warm, if possible.
Chocolate Babka
The ultimate in desserts! I keep coming back to Martha Stewart's fabulous, delicious, extravagant chocolate bread. The word "babka" is Yiddish for the loaf that babas (grandmothers) baked. The trick to this recipe is to read it through and organize your ingredients ahead. Chop the chocolate a day in advance to reduce the amount of time you'll spend building the babka (Yes, there's a ton, but don't stint. That's why it's decadent.)
Freeze the babkas you're not going to need right away (see Note below) so you can have a fresh, knock-'em-out treat for planned guests. I always end up with far too much streusel, so either I make half or label and freeze leftovers for future use in other recipes.
Want the babka to disappear quickly? Plan your baking time so that there's about 20-30 minutes left when your guests arrive. Your house will smell deliriously of chocolate and cinnamon. Let the babka sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting, then watch it vanish amid conversation and coffee.
Here's another version with a hint of orange from Smitten Kitchen, also wonderful. Now you have even more options for indulging.
More bread recipes: Challah, No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Pillowy Buttermilk Buns, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni) Click here for more fabulous desserts..
Makes 3 loaves
Each babka can feed 10-15 people
Ingredients for Dough
1 1/2 cups warm milk, 110 degrees
2 packages active dry yeast or 1/10 lb. cake yeast
1 3/4 cups plus a pinch of sugar
3 whole large eggs, room temperature (2 to mix into the dough, 1 for an egg wash)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (14 oz. or 400 g.) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus more for the bowl and loaf pans
2 1/4 lbs. semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped (Yes, it's a lot. Use it all)
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Ingredients for Streusel Filling/Topping:
1 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (6 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
Method for Streusel Topping:
In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and butter. Using a fork, stir until fully combined with clumps ranging in size from crumbs to 1 inch. Makes 3 3/4 cups.
Method for Dough
1. Pour the warm milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and the pinch of sugar over milk; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and egg yolks. Add the egg mixture to the yeast mixture, and whisk to combine.
3. Combine the flour and salt. Add the egg mixture, and beat until almost all the flour is incorporated. Add 1 cup butter, and beat about 10 minutes, until the flour mixture and butter are completely incorporated, and a smooth, soft dough is formed that’s slightly sticky when squeezed.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few turns until smooth. Butter a large bowl. Place the dough in a bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
5. Combine the chocolate, the remaining 1 cup sugar, and the cinnamon in a large bowl. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the remaining 3/4 cup (6 oz.) butter with the other ingredients, until well mixed. Set the filling aside.
6. Generously butter three 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pans; line them with parchment paper. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon cream; set the egg wash aside. Punch back the dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Let rest 5 minutes. Cut it into 3 equal pieces. Keep 2 pieces covered with plastic wrap or a towel while working with the remaining piece. On a generously floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16-inch square; it should be 1/8 inch thick.
7. Brush the edges with the reserved egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of the reserved chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Refresh the egg wash if needed. Roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together to seal. Twist the roll evenly throughout the length, 5 or 6 turns. Brush the top of the roll with egg wash. Carefully crumble 2 tablespoons of the streusel filling/topping over the left half of the roll, being careful not to let the mixture slide off. Fold the right half of the roll over onto the coated left half. Fold the ends under, and pinch to seal. Twist the roll 2 turns, and fit into prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough and remaining filling.
Note: The babka can be prepared up to the end of step 7 and frozen before baking. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer, let stand at room temperature for about 5 hours, and proceed to step 8.
8. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the top of each loaf with egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of the streusel topping over each loaf. Loosely cover each pan with plastic wrap or a towel, and let stand in a warm place 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Bake the loaves until golden, about 55 minutes, rotating halfway through. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the babkas are deep golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the pans from the oven, and transfer to wire racks for a 10-15 minutes. Remove the babkas from the pans and serve warm, if possible.