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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 | B5
FOOD
NOTHING BEATS A BABKA
Rich bread with
chocolate? It’s a joy
to make and eat
Kim Ode
Minneapolis Star Tribune
In an old “Seinfeld”
episode, Jerry and Elaine
stop at a bakery on their
way to a dinner party,
intending to buy a chocolate babka as a hostess
gift. But they’re thwarted
by the couple ahead of
them, who buy the last
babka — and are headed
to the same party! What
to do?
The bakery’s other
options — carrot cake,
Black Forest cake, a Napoleon — are rejected with
Seinfeldian logic. (You
don’t make carrots into a
cake. I’m sorry.) Finally,
Jerry states the unavoidable truth: “You can’t beat
a babka.”
Babka generally is
known as a Jewish or
Eastern-European bread,
rich with egg yolks and
butter and enclosing
various fillings, the best
of which is chocolate
enhanced with cinnamon.
Variations abound. There
are cinnamon-sugar fillings, and fillings further
embellished with dried
fruit (think cherries or
raisins), or nuts (think
chopped almonds or
pecans). Some bakers use
Nutella, and even peanut
butter. Some babkas come
topped with a crumbly
streusel, and there are
always a few who dust
theirs with powdered
sugar.
But honestly, you
can’t beat cinnamon and
chocolate.
Even better, a babka is
one of those wonders of
the kitchen that deliver
bang-up results through
deceptively simple
techniques. The supple,
buttery dough is a joy to
knead, not the sticky glob
that makes people fear
dealing with yeast. Melted
chocolate is spread over
the dough, which then is
rolled up like a jelly roll.
You can quickly twist
and double this strand
before placing it in a loaf
pan, or use a Bundt pan
for a circular bread.
The most spectacular
babka is the ingenious
Kranz cake variation, in
which the strand is split
down the middle, opened
to reveal the chocolate,
then crisscrossed to make
a braid.
However you shape
it, the goal is the same: a
slice of rich bread coursing with veins of dark
chocolate.
Turns out the show
about nothing was on to
something: You can’t beat
a babka.
Minneapolis Star Tribune photos
The distinctive swirls of chocolate babka make the bread a spectacular treat.
with a wooden spoon for
about 2 minutes. Add the
vanilla to the egg yolks and
whisk to break up yolks.
Add to sugar in four parts,
mixing well after each
addition. Increase speed
to medium and beat for
another 2 minutes (same if
by hand) until the mixture
is fluffy. Scrape down the
bowl a couple of times.
In a medium bowl, whisk
together the flour and salt,
then add to the butter mixture. Pour in the milk and
yeast mixture. Continue to
mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until
the dough comes together
in a rough ball.
Transfer the dough to a
lightly floured work surface
and knead for 2 or 3 minutes
more. This is a pliable dough,
barely sticky, which makes
it easy to knead. Resist
adding too much more flour.
Knead until dough feels soft
and supple and has a golden
sheen.
Form dough into a ball and
place top down in a large,
lightly oiled bowl, then flip
upright so entire surface
is oiled. Cover with plastic
wrap and leave at room
temperature to rise for
about 2 hours. It will swell,
but not double in size.
You can proceed with
shaping the babka at this
point, or place the dough in
the refrigerator overnight,
to be rolled out the next
day.
When you’re ready to
shape the babka, first
make the filling by melting
together the chocolate, 4
tablespoons butter, cinnamon and powdered sugar.
This is best done using the
Chocolate filling is spread on a buttery dough for chocolate
babka.
double-boiler method:
Combine the ingredients
in a medium bowl, then
place the bowl over a
saucepan filled with an inch
or two of water; the water
shouldn’t touch the bottom
of the bowl. Heat the water
to simmering, stirring the
chocolate mixture until it
melts. You can also do this
in a microwave oven, but
watch carefully, melting it in
15-second increments. Set
aside to cool slightly while
you roll out the dough.
To shape the dough: For
a loaf shape, grease a 5- by
9-inch loaf pan or line with
parchment paper.
On a lightly floured
surface, roll the dough into
a 15- by 15-inch square,
lifting the dough occasionally to keep it from sticking
to the surface. Spread the
melted chocolate evenly
over the dough, leaving a
1-inch-wide border at the
top and a ½-inch border on
the remaining three sides.
Beginning with the bottom
edge, roll up the dough
jellyroll-style.
Chocolate
Cinnamon Babka
Makes 1 large loaf.
Note: This recipe offers
two shaping techniques: for
a free-standing babka in the
Israeli Kranz cake style, or
the more conventional loaf.
The basic dough recipe is
from “Artisan Breads Every
Day” by Peter Reinhart.
Roasted cinnamon (McCormick offers this) boosts
the flavor, but regular
cinnamon is fine, too. The
dough improves in flavor by
resting in the refrigerator
overnight, making baking
day even easier.
With the seam side down,
roll it back and forth to
seal the roll and extend its
length to about 18 inches.
Carefully begin twisting
the log a few times until the
seam appears as a gentle
spiral down the length of
the log. Bring together the
two ends, pinching them
together to seal, then give
the doubled loaf another
twist to make a figure 8
shape before placing in
the pan, tucking under the
pinched end.
Cover with a cloth and let
rise at room temperature 1
to 2 hours or until the babka
looks puffy and fills the pan.
For a Kranz cake shape:
Proceed as above to the
point of rolling up the
dough and extending its
length to about 18 inches.
With a sharp knife or metal
scraper, cut the log down
the middle lengthwise and
carefully turn each piece
cut side up. Place one piece
over the other in an X, then
crisscross the strands to
make a braid, pinching together each end and tucking
it beneath the babka.
Carefully place the braid
on a sheet pan that’s been
greased or covered with
parchment paper. Cover
with a cloth and let rise at
room temperature for 1 to
2 hours or until the braid
looks puffy.
To bake: For either shape,
preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes,
then rotate the pan and
bake for another 30 to 40
minutes. Once baked, let
the babka rest for 5 minutes
before removing from the
pans to a wire rack to cool.
Babka is best served at
room temperature after
the chocolate has had time
to set.
Nutrition information per
1 of 18 slices: calories: 240,
fat: 11 grams, sodium: 140
milligrams, carbohydrates:
31 grams, saturated fat:
6 grams, calcium: 30 milligrams, protein: 4 grams,
cholesterol: 58 milligrams,
dietary fiber: 2 grams,
diabetic exchanges per
serving: 1 bread/starch, 1
other carb, 2 fat
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Dough:
2 tablespoons instant
yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
6 tablespoons unsalted
butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
3-1/3 cups all-purpose
flour
1 teaspoon salt
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Filling:
Harvested Locally
available pre-packaged or
bring your own container.
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1 cup dark chocolate chips
or chunks
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)
unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon,
preferably roasted
1/3 cup powdered sugar
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In the bowl of a stand
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6 tablespoons butter and
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