Babka, or Krantz cake, is a popular Jewish sweet braided bread.
These cookies are crispy on the outside and fudgy in the middle. The brown butter really elevates the cookies and enhances the depth of flavour. They are definitely a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients:
Dough:
265g plain flour
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp dry yeast
2 small eggs
60ml Water (lukewarm)
75g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut in 2cm cubes
1/8 tsp salt
Chocolate filling:
25g+ confectioner sugar
15g cocoa powder
60g unsalted butter, melted
65g dark chocolate, melted
50g pecans
1 tbsp caster sugar
Syrup:
80ml water
130g caster sugar
Directions
The night before:
Place the flour, sugar and yeast in a mixer with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 1 min.
Add the eggs and water. Mix for a few seconds on low, then increase speed to
medium and mix for 3 mins until dough comes together.
Add the salt then add the butter, a few cubes at a time. Mix until incorporated into
the dough.
Mix for 10 mins on medium speed until the dough is elastic and shiny. During the
mixing, scrape down the sides a few times and add some flour to the sides.
Place the dough in a bowl brushed with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in
fridge overnight.
Day of baking:
Grease a loaf pan with some oil and line with waxed paper.
Make the filling by mixing together the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, chocolate
and butter.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle (about 38cm x 28cm). Trim the
sides to make even, if necessary.
Position the dough so that the long side is closest to you.
Spread the chocolate paste on, leaving a 2cm border around. Sprinkle with the pecans
and caster sugar.
Brush some water on the long side furthest away. Use both hands to roll up the
rectangle into a roulade. Seal with the wet side. Even out using your hands and make
sure the seam is at the bottom.
Trim about 2cm off both ends with a serrated knife.
Using the knife, cut the roll in half lengthwise.
With the cut sides facing up, plait together. Gently squeeze together the ends.
Move to the loaf pan and leave to prove for 1-1 ½ hours, under a damp cloth.
Heat the oven to 190c. Place the cake in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30
mins.
Syrup:
While the cake is in the oven, make the syrup: bring the water and sugar to a boil.
Remove from heat as soon as the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush the syrup over it.
Leave the cake in the pan to rest until warm, then remove from pan. Leave to cool
before serving.
Tips:
For more technical tips, watch ‘Best Chocolate Babka Recipe’ by Joshua Weissman or
Munchies’ ‘Chocolate Babka’ with Edan Leshnick (Breads Bakery).
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