my babka recipe
in a constant state of edit
*This recipe will continue to be edited and updated*
I’m exploring the idea of creating recipes from scratch and this is one of my first attempts. It will not be anywhere close to perfect for a while but might as well start with the notion that it’s a massive rough draft.
There is a lot I want to say about this recipe and babka in general but we’ll save those for the edits. Let me know if you have questions or think I don’t know what I’m doing. You’re correct!
I suggest watching my instagram reel to get a few ideas of movements/procedures!
You need a stand mixer for this as well as 2 9x5/8x4 loaf pans. Oh and a kitchen thermometer. Recipe will take 24 hours.
Ingredients
Dough
600g all purpose flour
100g cane sugar
10g kosher salt
145g whole milk
10g active dry yeast
4 eggs (beaten)
145g unsalted butter (room temp)
Chocolate Spread
6oz chopped bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao)
118g whole milk
40g unsweetened cocoa powder
100g cane sugar
113g unsalted room temp butter cut into cubes
Simple Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cane sugar
Recipe
It’s the day before, make the dough.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, add room temp or slightly warmed milk (no more than 95 degrees) and yeast with a pinch of sugar. Whisk briefly and dissolve. Allow the bloom for 10 minutes. Add beaten egg. In a separate bowl, combine, flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Affix dough hook and begin mixing on medium-low speed for 10 minutes or until a shaggy, but cohesive, dough forms. If it’s a little dry, add some milk. If it’s a little wet, add some flour. Turn off the mixer and place a kitchen towel or plate over the bowl and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Start mixing on medium speed and begin adding the room temp butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Hold off adding another until the butter is mostly incorporated into the dough and it is pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl. This process will take anywhere from 10-15 minutes but it’s ok if it takes longer. Once all the butter is added, let knead for 15 more minutes. Once kneaded. Turn out onto a work surface and roll into a tight ball using the edges of your hands. Place in a lightly buttered or greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 12-14 hours is ideal. No more than 18 hours.
It’s the next day. Make the chocolate spread.
Placed chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Set aside. Combine milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer until the sugar had dissolved and it looks like hot chocolate. Btw you just made hot chocolate. Nice!
Pouring steaming milk mixture over the chopped chocolate and stir to combine and fully melt the chocolate. Once melted and still hot, add the butter, a couple of chunks at a time until all the butter is added and a shiny, smooth, thick chocolate sauce is made. *Be sure to use a heatproof bowl.* If the butter has not fully melted, place bowl over a small pot of simmering water and melt fully. Cover with plastic wrap pressing down onto the surface so as to not form a skin. Let cool until room temperature and has a thick but spreadable consistency.
Take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to rest for 30 minutes at room temp. On a lightly floured surface, dump out the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. While the others rest under cloth or plastic wrap, gently shape then roll each piece of dough to a roughly 8x14 rectangle with a rolling pin. It doesn’t have to be exact. But keep it even as you can. Once rolled out, take about 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup of chocolate spread and spread it on the rolled out piece of dough, leaving a 1/2 inch margin along the edges. Roll it up, starting from the longest end near you, until it forms a log. Pinch and seal it on both ends so chocolate does not squeeze out. Repeat with the other pieces of dough and chocolate.
Grease two loaf pans (9x5 or 8x4) and line with a sheet of parchment paper for easier retrieval.
Take two logs. Align them parallel away from you. Press and pinch them together at the top end. Take the right log and place it over the left while pulling the left log to the right. Repeat once more and pinch at the bottom end to connect. It’s okay if it isn’t perfectly braided. The proofing will close any errant gaps.
Repeat with the other two logs. Place both braided loafs into your awaiting loaf pans and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a linen. Allow to proof for 2-4 hours or until risen near the top of the load pan. *It’s ok if it doesn’t puff up twice its size, the oven will make it rise significantly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees while it’s proofing.
Once risen, place both loafs in the oven uncovered and bake anywhere from 45 min - 1 hour and 15 minutes. This will depend on your rising time, oven setting, gas or electric, and other factors I’m sure. But keep an eye on the loafs and if they start to brown too quickly, place some foil on top. Your loafs are ready when the internal temperature is 180 - 190. Higher than this and the babka will begin to dry out. Remove from the oven and place on a wire wrap to cool, leaving them in their loaf pans.
Then while everyone is still hot. Make the simple syrup by placing the water and sure in a small saucepan and heating over medium high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, take a toothpick or cake tester and poke many holes on the babka, like all over. Brush down both loafs of babka with the simple syrup until all the syrup is used. It seems like a lot but it isn’t I promise!
All to rest and absorb in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove from the loaf pans and continue to cool on the wire wrack until room temperature. Now they are reach to cut and serve. You did it!
Enjoy and let me know what went wrong. Something always does…