Chocolate and hazelnut Babka: the braided brioche that is winning the world over.
If there is one pastry that in recent years has managed to conquer tables around the world for its beauty and goodness, it is certainly the Babka.
It is a leavened pastry with a soft dough, very similar to a brioche, typical of Eastern Europe.
It is the quintessential traditional dessert for Easter Sunday in Poland, but its popularity extends to many other countries such as Bulgaria, Macedonia and Ukraine, where it is also prepared for other important festivities during the year.
The versions of Babka are endless: the classic recipe often includes dried fruit and candied peel, and the most common shape is that of a loaf.
However, cooking is also about adaptation and inspiration!
While making it, I noticed how this dessert very much resembles our Angelica, the famous Italian braided ring cake.
For my version, I made a practical and indulgent choice at the same time: not having two large enough loaf pans, I preferred to braid it in the shape of a ring.
I must say I like the aesthetic result even more!
For the filling, I played it safe and went with the winning combination of chocolate and hazelnuts, which makes every slice an explosion of flavor.
To achieve that soft, stringy texture, the best thing would be to use a stand mixer.
If you don’t have one, don’t be discouraged!
You can use a regular food processor with a dough hook or, if you want to enjoy a relaxing culinary moment, you can knead by hand.
In that case it will only take a bit more energy and time.
The only essential ingredient you can’t do without is patience: the rising takes a few hours, but I assure you that seeing the dough grow and then admiring the golden braid coming out of the oven is an exceptional satisfaction.
Try making it and bring an international and indulgent touch to your Easter!
Calories about 610 per person
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Moderate
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10 servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Polish
- Seasonality: Christmas, Easter
Ingredients for making the Babka
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (plus 4 tbsp / 30 g for the work surface)
- 2 1/4 cups Manitoba (strong/bread) flour (270 g)
- 7 tbsp Butter (100 g; about 3.5 oz)
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (110 g)
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 packet Active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp / 7 g)
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup Warm water (120 ml)
- 6 oz Dark chocolate (170 g)
- 10 tbsp Butter (140 g; about 5 oz)
- 3 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder (30 g)
- 1 oz Hazelnuts (about 30 g)
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1 tbsp Water (15 ml)
Tools
- 1 Bundt pan (tube pan)
Preparation of the Babka
First of all dissolve the yeast in a little warm water taken from the water needed for the dough; then in the mixer (I used this one) place the ingredients for the dough: the flours, softened butter, sugar, eggs, grated lemon peel, water and add the yeast dissolved separately.
Turn on the machine and knead at low speed for a few minutes until you obtain a homogeneous, smooth and non-sticky dough.
Once you have a well-worked dough, transfer it to a container, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
When the dough is almost ready to be worked, start preparing the filling.
In a small saucepan put the dark chocolate broken into pieces, the butter, the powdered sugar and the cocoa, add the crushed hazelnuts and let everything melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until you obtain a creamy filling.
Let it cool in the fridge for about ten minutes, until it thickens a bit but remains dense.
Take the dough and roll it out into a rectangular sheet, thin but not transparent
…spread the prepared chocolate filling over it leaving about two finger-widths from the edge.
Roll from the long side until you create a log
Cut it in half lengthwise, placing the cut side up, then braid the two halves together to form a plait.
Butter and flour a high-sided tube/bundt pan about 12 in (30 cm) in diameter, place the braid inside and let it rise again for 1 hour or slightly longer.
After the dough has risen, bake in a hot oven at 356°F (180°C) for about 30-35 minutes.
When baked, heat the sugar with the water for about 5 minutes in a small saucepan and brush the braid with it, let cool and transfer to a serving plate.
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