This is a enriched dough that I tried some time ago but I wanted to test again. I find this kind of dough quite challenge as it is very messy kneading by hand, but, this time, somehow I managed to get a dough that was smooth, glossy and elastic! It took 45m aprox I think. This is a video to give an idea (although it uses a hand mixer…. I can’t find one with kneading by hand.)
Ingredients for dough
- 275 strong white flour
- 6g salt
- 30g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs (75g)
- 100g milk
- 4g dry yeast (8g if fresh)
- 100g butter
Ingredients for filling:
- 100g dark chocolate
- 50g butter
- 1 egg
- 50g caster sugar
- 15g cocoa powder
- eggs wash + flour for dusting
Ingredients for sugar glaze:
- 100g sugar
- 80g water
Process:
- Put all ingredients apart from butter in a bowl. Mix all until combined
- Tip the dough into a table, without flour, using a scraper with one hand and kneading with the other for 5 minutes. Very important, use one hand for kneading so at least one hand is “clean” and it uses the scrapper. Let the dough rest for 1 minute.
- Add 1/3 of butter each time and knead until fully combined all butter. This can take a LONG time if doing by hand. I used constantly the scrapper because it was very messy and sticky the dough. Be patience and dont use flour, the dough, surprisingly will start forming gluten because the kneading and will be smooth and stop being so sticky.
- Once the dough is smooth, glossy and elastic, put it in a bowl and let it prove until double in size. Cover it during that time.
- Knock the dough and put back into the bowl and keep it in the fridge overnight.
Next day
- Prepare two tins of 20-25cm long. Line them with baking paper.
- Remove dough from the bridge. Place it in a lightly floured surface.
- Prepare the chocolate filling. Melt the butter and chocolate at “bain marie”
- In another bowl, mix egg, sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk until you get a smooth paste.
- Add melted chocolate to the paste. Whisk until well combined. Keep in mind you will have to “spread” this mix in the dough, so you dont want something two “hard”.
- With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle of aprox 40x45cm.
- Spread the chocolate mix evenly over the dough. Leave 1-2 cm free in the edge nearest to you as we will seal the dough there.
- Start rolling the dough from the farthest edge from you. Create a tight roll, moving towards you. The seal of the dough should be under side and the smooth side facing up.
- Dust lightly the top of your dough and with a sharp knife, cut the dough in half lengthways to show the inner layers
- Each half will be a babka. Form a U shape with each one. Staring with the right side, bring this over the left and place down, then repeat, bringing the right side over the left to form a basic plait.
- Place each babka into a tin and let it prove for 1h (ie: put in a oven with ligh on and some boiling water to make humid)
- Preheat the oven at 180C.
- Eggwash the babkas and bake for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Prepare the sugar glaze. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan at medium heat. Stir until sugar is disolved. Bring the mix to the boil, leave it to simmer for a couple of minutes until thickens a bit. Remove from the heat and leave to one side.
- Remove the babkas from oven and brush with sugar glaze. This is very important to make the babka moist inside.
- Let is cool down in the tin.
In general I was quite happy with the result.
Some improvements/mistakes:
- My sacket of yeast was already open so I think it “lost” it strength because my dough and babka didnt really prove….
- My chocolate spread was a bit too hard and couldnt spread properly, maybe adding a bit more egg to make it a bit more runny?
BTW, this blog is quite good for shaping.