Cooking Lesson #45— The Chocolate Doctor’s New York Babka

Chocolate Babka, a "Seinfeld" favorite

How you doin’? I’m great after a weekend of binge-watching Seinfield.  What else are you going to do when there aren’t many places to go?
 
One of my favorites episodes of Seinfeld is when Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer are invited to a dinner party. As usual Elaine wants to bring a gift cake and a bottle of wine to the party. Jerry and Elaine stop at Royal Bakery to purchase a chocolate babka. Jerry and Elaine forget to take a number at the counter. As a result, others get ahead of them in line and purchase the last chocolate babka. Jerry and Elaine eventually resort to purchasing a cinnamon babka without chocolate considered, "a much lesser babka." If all that wasn’t bad enough, Jerry finds that the babka has a hair on it, and they are forced to wait in line again to purchase a new cake. 
 
According to Jerry, a chocolate babka is the “king of babkas.” It is a combination of gooey chocolate and soft, pillow-y sweet dough. This recipe produces an especially large, no, a giant babka that makes a real table statement. Cut the babka into large wedges, serve warm and enjoy.
 
This recipe takes a lot of time. Make sure the people you share your babka with are well worth it.
 
Total time:  4 hours 20 minutes
Prep time:  45 minutes
Proof time:  2 hours + 30 minutes
Bake time:  40 to 45 minutes
Yield:  10-12 servings
 
Ingredients
For the sweet dough
1 cup whole milk
1/4-ounce active dry yeast (1 package is about 2-1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
2 tablespoon vegetable oil, for the bowls
 
For the chocolate filling
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (about 3 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
For the egg wash
1 large whole egg
1 tablespoon water
 
For the white glaze
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
 
Directions
To make the dough

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 105°F to 110°F. Anything over 110⁰F will kill the yeast.
2. Sprinkle in the yeast and a teaspoon of granulated sugar. Cover with a dish towel and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk together the flour and remaining granulated sugar in a large bowl. 
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the butter, vanilla extract and egg yolks on low speed until combined.  
5. Add the yeast mixture and continue to mix on low speed until combined.  
6. Carefully add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until a thick and slightly sticky dough forms and comes together, about 3 minutes.  
7. Add the mini chocolate chips.
8. Change out the paddle for a dough hook and knead on medium speed, adding up to 1/4 cup more flour if needed to make a soft, smooth ball that sticks to the hook, 3 to 4 minutes. 
9. Lightly coat 2 large mixing bowls with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil each.  
10. Cut the dough in half; form into 2 balls put each into the prepare bowls; rotate the dough balls to coat them in the oil.  
11. Cover the bowls with dish towels and let the dough rise at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

To make the filling

1. Microwave the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between each burst, until melted, smooth and creamy.  
2. Mix in the cinnamon and confectioner’s sugar and set aside. 

To assemble the babka

1. Line a sheet pan with parchment.  
2. Punch down one ball of dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times, then roll into a rectangle 12” x 16”, keeping the longer side closest to you.
3. If the chocolate filling has set and is no longer spreadable, microwave for 30 seconds.  Spread half of the chocolate filling all over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around.
4. Starting from the long side, gently roll up the dough so you have a long log. Position it seam-side down. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise so you have 2 long pieces. Twist each piece 4 times. Repeat this with the other ball of dough. 
5. Form one twisted piece into a tight coil and transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Coil the second twisted piece around the first. Repeat the rolling, filling, twisting and coiling process with the second dough ball and add it to the first ball’s coil to yield 1 large twisted babka roll.
6. Cover the baking sheet with clean dish towels and let proof for 30 minutes. 
7. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

To make the white the glaze:

1. Beat the whole egg with 1 tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush, brush the babka all over with the egg wash.  
2. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes. The internal temperature should be between 190°F.
3. Let the babka cool on the sheet pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

To make the white the glaze:

1. Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl until softened, 10 to 15 seconds.  
2. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk and almond extract; whisk until smooth.  
3. Drizzle the glaze on top of the babka.

ChefSecret:  For a lighter texture cake, add 1/2 cup of sour cream to the dough when mixing. 

Chef’s Historical Note:  New York-style babka is associated with the Eastern European Jewish traditions. This babka is usually made from a doubled and twisted length of yeast dough and can typically bake in a high loaf pan or a fluted pan. Some have fruit fillings, but nothing is better than a sweet babka dough which contains chocolate and/or cinnamon. You may have seen this style babka topped with streusel or crumb topping in your local Jewish or Russian bakery.

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