^(Watch dis clip)^
Poor little cliché me. The entire time I was baking these tasty babkas, this Seinfeld episode kept going on repeat in my head. But I think that Elaine and Jerry accurately display the amount of pure affection any person is going to achieve for these pastries; this affection will most likely be gained at the very moment the smell from the oven permeates one’s olfactory glands.
Okay, so, babkas. What are they, and what nice thing have they done for me lately? Basically, they are doughy, chocolatey, slightly spicy rolls of Heaven. Think cinnamon rolls, but without glaze and with tenfold times more chocolate. They also have little bits of streusel on top for that extra oomph of delicious power. If there’s anything on this planet that I suggest you try, it is a hot, fresh, melty chocolate babka. Honestly.
Also, be forewarned. This is the post in which you realize I can never be a professional baker. You’ll see why.
The following is adapted from CakeSpy’s Chocolate Babka recipe. The original post can be found here: http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2009/12/23/babkas-your-uncle-a-carbohydratey-christmas-breakfast-idea-f.html
I usually change most recipes I find, but I’ve made CakeSpy’s exact recipe twice now, and I really can’t complain at all with the finished product. You go, CakeSpy!
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 cup warm 1% low-fat milk (105° to 110°)
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups bread flour
5 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Streusel:
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Directions:
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar and yeast in warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
“Feast my little yeasties”
(Quote of the night)
♥ Stir in 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the egg yolk. Lightly spoon both of the flours into dry measuring cups and slowly add to the liquid mixture. Beat with a dough hook attachment at medium speed until it is well blended.
Mmm I really can’t get enough of that sweet, sweet mixin’ action.
♥ Cube 5 tablespoons butter and cream it into the batter. Beat it until well blended. Scrape the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Watch out though; the dough is super sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour- 1 tablespoon at a time- to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands (although it is inevitable. Whatever though, it’s just an excuse to lick your fingers after!).
♥ Form the dough into a loose ball.
- Plop the dough into a large non-metal bowl that is coated with cooking spray. Roll the dough around a bit so as to coat it all a bit with the cooking spray. Cover with a towel or something and let it rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. (A good way to tell if it is ready is by gently pressing two fingers into the dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch the dough down (get all that aggression out, man) and then cover once more and let it rest while you prepare the filling (it’ll need a quick breather after all of that violence inflicted on it, anyhow).
- Line the bottom of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure to coat the sides of the pan with cooking spray.
- Now, let’s get to that wonderful filling! Combine 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, the cocoa, cinnamon, sea salt, and chocolate in a medium bowl.
I have a problem.
Chop dat chocolate. Chop it good.
♥ Set it aside, and try not to eat all of it before putting it in the babka, like I usually do.
This is my roommate Cindy. She is really excited about sugar.
- Place the dough on a generously floured surface and roll that sucker out into a 16-inch square.
♥ Sprinkle dat filling over the dough, but make sure to leave a 1/4-inch border free of the filling around the edges.
♥ Roll the dough up tightly in jelly-roll fashion. Pinch the ends together, as well as the seam down the middle, to seal it up. Holding the dough by its ends, twist it 4 times or so, as if wringing out a towel.
Action sequence!
♥ Fit the dough into the prepared pan. Try your best to make it look like a scary snake or something. Cover (again! :O) and let it rise for 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat that oven to 350°, dude.
- A’ight, now it’s streusel makin’ time. Combine the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, and 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Stir and/or mash it all with a fork until it’s all crumbly.
♥ Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the dough.
♥ Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until the loaf is browned on the bottom and sounds hollow when tapped (cool, right?).
Make sure to take a Mickey’s tall can break. This is the most crucial step, guys.
Also, make sure to lick up all the flour and sugar and chocolate you see everywhere. This is the second-most crucial step. I’m serious. Your babkas will set on fire in the oven if you don’t do these two things.
♥ After it has cooked completely, let the babka cool down in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Or, alternatively, burn the hell out of your tongue and eat it immediately like I always do (it’s sort of worth it). Enjoy it with a big glass of milk and an old movie (the recipe won’t work if you don’t add those last two things at the end).
Whoa how did my hair change colors??
♥ Okay, so all-in-all, we learned a few valuable lessons here:
1. Babkas are the most delicious things in the universe.
2. Stephanie can never be a professional baker because she gets drunk on the job and licks her fingers and every plate and utensil that she sees.
3. Babkas are really really fun to make
4. I…I guess that’s actually all we learned.
♥ HAPPY BAKING EVERYONE! ♥
No comments:
Post a Comment