Chocolate Babka With Rum
Ingredients For the Babka Dough:
- 3/4 C Water
- 2 1/4 t Yeast (active dry) (1 packet)
- 4 1/4 C Flour all purpose
- 1/3 C Sugar
- 1/2 t Kosher salt (or sea salt)
- 3 Eggs (large)
- 6 T Butter (unsalted) (cut into small pieces or neutral oil, such as canola)
Chocolate Cinnamon
- 4 T Butter (unsalted butter) (or non-hydrogenated margarine)
- 1/3 C Sugar
- 1/3 C Sugar (brown)
- 4 oz Chocolate chips (bittersweet) (or chopped chocolate)
- 1/4 C Cocoa powder
- 1 T Cinnamon
- 1 T Honey
- 2/3 C Raisins (golden(or brown raisins, or dried tart cherries, or a mix)
- 2 t Rum (dark)
For the Rum Syrup: - 3/4 C Sugar
- 1/2 C Water
- 1/3 C Rum
- 1/2 Vanilla bean (split, optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a a large bowl, or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook combine the water & yeast.2. Allow to stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar & salt.
4. Add to the yeast mixture, mixing with a wooden spoon or the mixer’s dough hook on
medium speed.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until they are incorporated.
6. Add the butter or oil a little at a time, mixing until the dough begins to pull into a ball.
7. Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5
to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth & elastic.
8. It's fine if the dough is a little tacky, but if it is very tacky knead in additional flour, 1 T
at a time just until it is easier to handle.
9. If you’ve been kneading the dough by hand, return it to the bowl, cover & allow to rise
until doubled,about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling:
- 1.
In a small, heavy bottomed saucepan set over medium heat, combine the butter,
sugars & chocolate. - 2. Stir until the mixture is well combined & fairly smooth.
- 3. Remove from the heat & stir in the cocoa, cinnamon & honey & set aside.
- 4. In a separate small bowl, combine the raisins & rum & set aside.
Complete the Babka
- 1. Grease two 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pans.
- 2. When the dough has risen, punch it down gently & divide in half.
- 3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface & pat the first piece of dough into a rectangle.
- 4. Roll the dough out until it is about 11 inches by 15 inches & about 1/8-inch thick.
- 5. Spread with the chocolate cinnamon filling, leaving a 1-inch border around the sides.
- 6. Sprinkle evenly with half of the the rum-soaked raisins or cherries.
- 7. Starting on a long side, roll the dough up jelly roll-style.
- 8. Pinch the ends together gently to seal.
- 9. Place the roll seam side down.
- 10. With a sharp knife, cut lengthwise through the roll–don't worry if some of the filling
oozes out–shaping the Babka can get a little messy! - 11. Lay halves side by side, filling side up.
- 12. Starting in the middle & keeping the filling side up as much as possible, twist the rolls
together by laying one over the other until you get to the end. - 13. Pinch the ends together to seal.
- 14. After you've twisted one end, do the other side in the same way.
- 15. Repeat with the remaining dough & filling.
- 16. Carefully transfer each Babka, filling side up, to the loaf pans.
- 17. If the twisted loaf is longer than the pan, gently compress the ends between your
hands to shorten the loaf. - 18. Cover the pans with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap & allow to rise in a warm place
until the Babkas mostly fill the pans, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. - 19. If you’d prefer, you can also cover the pans with plastic & refrigerate overnight.
- 20. You will need to bring the Babkas to room temperature before baking.
- 21. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
- 22. Place the pans on a piece of foil or a baking sheet to catch any drips.
- 23. Bake the Babkas in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are
golden & a teter inserted in the dough comes out clean. - 24. While the Babkas are baking, make the syrup:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, rum, water & vanilla bean.
2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
3. Reduce the heat & simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved & the
mixture is syrupy.
4. Remove from the heat & set aside - 25. When the babkas come out of the oven, place them in their pans on a cooling rack.
- 26. Poke all over with a skewer, then brush or spoon the rum syrup over the Babkas,
letting them absorb the syrup as much as possible before adding more. - 27. Allow the Babkas to cool before removing from the pans.
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