Chocolate Babka recipe

↑ sarahd ↓

Thu, Nov 17 2005, 5:45 am

Okay, here goes. I hope your arteries don't clog just from reading the recipe. shock

Babka (Chanie R)

6 lb. flour
8 eggs
1 ½ c. sugar
2 vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 lb. margarine
2 c. oil
1 c. apple juice
3 c. water
4 oz. yeast

Divide dough into 10-12 parts (it doesn't need to rise first), roll each part out and fill generously with the following mixture:

2 ½ c. cocoa
6 ¾ c. sugar
2 c. confectioners sugar
10 tablespoons vanilla sugar
5 tsp. cinnamon

Roll up jelly-roll fashion and twist into a figure 8. Put each roll into a loaf pan and sprinkle with crumb topping:

1 stick margarine
½ c. sugar
1 ½ c. flour
1 vanilla sugar

Let rise six hours. (yes, you read that correctly) I bake mine at 350°.

TzenaRena

Thu, Nov 17 2005, 1:35 pm

sarahd, can I use dry yeast and how much? Is that why you get so many loaves, the long rising? If it didn't rise that much, it would be a little denser? Or underbaked and doughy?

On the note of yeast cakes, when I knead the dough, I try to get it smooth and unpasty, like challah dough. I add flour, if the dough is too sticky. Then, when it bakes, sometimes it's too dry. should I let the dough be sticky? Confused

Or is it dry from overbaking?

↑ sarahd

Thu, Nov 17 2005, 1:42 pm

613 - I always halve the recipe because I don't have enough room in my freezer for a whole recipe.

SY - I have so little experience with dry yeast that I can't really advise you about a substitution. But I imagine you can sub - why not?

The babka is not light and puffy, even with the long rising (which is not so terrible - I prepare it in the morning; doesn't take long at all. Then I do whatever I have to do all day long and in the late afternoon/evening I bake it. No big deal.) I don't know why it needs to rise so long, maybe because it's so fatty and heavy from the filling.

shanie5

Mon, Nov 21 2005, 12:27 am

I just took a class last week on "sweet dough". sy- you may be kneading your dough too hard. they taught to fold the dough, andpress down lightly. turn it 1/4 around and repeat. dont break through to the inside of the dough. you want to make a smooth elastic "skin". also, dont add alot of flour- just enough to keep the dough from sticking. and if you get "hard crumbly pieces" throw them out- they will not change.

this class was given by the makers of "king arthur" flour - a company that has been in business over 200 yrs. so I guess they know what they are talking about.

also interesting note: when doubling a recipe w/ yeast- do not double the yeast. only 1 1/2 times. even if doing 4x the recipe, never do more than double the yeast. unless you plan on freezing the dough (cuz some of the yeast will 'die' in the freezing)

↑ Tila

Wed, Nov 23 2005, 2:42 pm

I agree!! Here is my promised recipe!If I can do it! So Can you!! It is fun easy and sooooooooooooooooo YUMMY!

1 1/2 cups of water
2 TBSP of dry yeast
3/4 cup plus a pinch of white sugar
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla ext
1 tsp lemon juice
2 drops of almond ext
1 tsp of salt
1cup (2 sticks) of pareve marg cut in small pieces
6 cups of all purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water teast and pinch of sugar. Let stand for 5-10 mins. Sir in the eggs, yolks, vanilla, lemon, almond, 3/4 cup sugar,salt. Fold in marg and the flour. Mix, and then knead up to 10 mins. until it is smooth and elastic. place in a bowl bigger than the amout of dough, place the bowl in a plastic bag (not garbage) I use two white grocerie babgs over lapped to trap out the air. place in a warm corner for an hour.
punch down, and recover let rest again for another hour.
punch down, recover let rest while you make the following schmear

1 1/2 cups of pareve choc chips
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cocoa pwd
1/2 cup white sugar
3 TBSP marg

place all in a processor process until a loose paste.

On a lightly floured board, roll out dough into a 16" square. spread schmear all over the dough. Roll into a jelly roll.

Prepare a huge tube pan greased GENEROUSLY!!

CAREFULLY lift the babka and place in the tube pan. It is ok if it over laps itself.
brush top with beaten egg
place pan in a plastic bag let rise and rest for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F
bake for 1 hour. Let rest at least 1/2 hour before removing from pan!!

Let me know how you like it!!