When I say that this is the simplest, quickest (in terms of prepping, excluding rising time), I'm not kidding!!!
This babka is sooooo delicious, when it is warm, it freaking tastes like a walnut brownie!! yes, I'm not kidding, it tastes like walnut brownie!!
I'm gonna be true for a minute, for me, shaping a babka or any filled bread is a real pain in the a**.... Though sooo worth it!! Soooo buttery and soo light!! The real umph that your day needs, this babka gives....
Yield: 2 standard loaves
INGREDIENTS:
For dough:
3-3/4 cups (450 g) Bread flour or all purpose flour, plus more for dusting/rolling
1T (12 g) Active dry yeast
1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature and divided
1 cup milk or water, room temperature
1/2 cup or 1 stick (113 g) Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For filling:
1/2 cup or 1 stick (113 g) Unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (140 g) Chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (50 g) Icing sugar
1/4 cup (25 g) Cocoa powder
1 cup (120 g) Walnuts
Sugar Syrup:
1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
To make the dough:
1. Add the flour, yeast and sugar into a bowl of an electric stand mixer attached with the dough hook attachment.
2. Slowly add in the milk, the egg and the egg yolk. Let the dough mix until no streaks of flour can be seen. You may need to clean the sides of the bowl in between
3. When flour streaks can no longer be seen, add in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. When all the butter is added increase the speed to medium-high and beat the dough for about 5 minutes or you can knead the dough by hand on a floured table top.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
6. Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut dough in half. Work with only half of the dough at a time. Place a clean towel over the dough you aren’t working with.
To make the filling:
1. Melt the butter and chocolate together either on a double boiler or in the microwave.
2. Sift in the cocoa powder and icing sugar, mix well and let it come to room temperature so it thickens
3. Preheat your oven to 350°F for 10 mins. Add all the walnuts to a baking tray and toast them for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove them from the oven and let them cool
5. After cooling, chop them into small pieces
To make the sugar syrup:
In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar and water together, until sugar is no longer visible. Let it come down to room temperature
Assembly:
1. Generously grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans with butter or nonstick spray.
2. On slightly floured work surface, roll one dough half out into a 9×13 inch rectangle (approximately).
4. Spread half of the chocolate filling on the rectangle leaving about 1/2 an inch border from all sides.
5. Add the chopped walnuts on top of the filling and tightly roll the dough into a 13-inch log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise.
6. Criss-cross one half, cut side up, on top of the other half– forming an X. Twist the two together. Place in prepared loaf pan and cover with a clean towel. Repeat with 2nd half of dough.
7. Allow both shaped (and covered) loaves to rest for 20 minutes as your oven once again preheats to 350°F (177°C).
8. Whisk 1 tablespoon of water with the leftover egg white. This is the egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the babka loaves with egg wash.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until babka is golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, place each pan on a wire rack, and douse the babkas in sugar syrup while still hot, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy<3
NOTES:
1. If you do not want to bake 2 loaves at once, you can freeze one babka for upto 3 weeks well covered in plastic wrap, and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
2. You can store leftover babka at room temperature for a couple days or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. You can also freeze the baked babka for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving orr warm it up in the oven.
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