S/O Challah dough for buns

corolla

Fri, Nov 10 2023, 2:24 pm

Didn't want to hijack the other thread with my question.

Sometimes I use my challah dough for babka, but no matter how thin I roll it, it always comes out too bready with only a hint of filling. What am I doing wrong? How do I make it oozy and gooey on the inside?

nylon

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 1:48 am

Three things:

1) make a gooey filling like a thick fudge or mix chocolate spread with chopped chocolate. Using just chopped chocolate or cocoa and sugar will be solid and dry once it cools. If you use chocolate spread/nutella (obviously real Nutella would make it dairy, but my kids love it) spread it on in a very thin layer, then sprinkle on more chopped chocolate. For a cinnamon babka, mix cinnamon, sugar (I use part white and part brown), and soft butter/margarine into a thick spread, and spread that on.

2) You have to roll the sheet of dough really really thin and twice as wide as your baking pan is long (so for my pans I roll them out to about 18"x24"), roll up like a jelly roll, and then twist it (I join the ends and then figure-eight twist it twice). Not just a roll. Some people cut the roll into strips and twist them.

3) While the loaves are baking, make a sugar syrup: 2/3 cup sugar and 2/3 cup water for 2 1 lb loaves of babka, put in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour into a Pyrex cup and let it cool off. When the loaves come out, immediately poke them in several places with a skewer and pour the syrup on. This is really magic for making sure the loaves stay moist. Make sure to let them sit before unmolding and serving so the syrup has time to penetrate and distribute.