The Babka or "granny" in polish is an Eastern European sweet bread more precisely Ashkenazi of which there are two versions: the Polish one which is essentially a cake and the most famous one that I propose today of Jewish origin, a braided bread filled with dried fruit, poppy seeds , cinnamon or chocolate. Grandmothers, from which it takes its name, prepared it for the Shabbat (holiday of rest, or every Saturday). Other sources tell that the bread was born from a leftover of Challah, a rich egg bread that was always prepared on the occasion of Shabbat.
I have never had much affinity with leavened products, my attempts have always ended up more or less always in the bin. The problem is that if a leavened product does not rise there is not much alternative except the dustbin. Sometimes my doughs didn't move an inch, sometimes they grew then deflated before baking, sometimes during baking. In short, after so many disappointments I abandoned the project until I tried to make panettone, I could have tried brioche first but no, why aim for the simple, let's make a panettone and let's make it gluten-free. In short, this gave me the courage to try again.
The Babka gave me a hard time even if it is very simple to prepare, it just needs time (and in my case also a lot of prayers). I did it two more times before getting a satisfactory result. The first dough is part of the category of those who do not move an inch and its fate has inevitably been a jump in the bin; the second, on the other hand, has risen too much, becoming a shapeless mess. Of Babka he had just the name. However, the third time went well and it is really delicious!
It looks like a braid of sandwich bread, it actually tastes like bread but sweet and once it has been cut inside, you can appreciate the interweaving that distinguishes it on the surface. Very soft on the inside and with a golden crust on the outside. I chose to make the chocolate version, you will notice from the recipe that it is not just melted and spread chocolate, but a cream with sugar and butter that crunches under the teeth and for me this is its beauty. It makes me think of Modica chocolate, for those who have tried it know what I mean, for those who have not tried it I don't know how you live.
Tips
I suggest you use a stand mixer if you have one because it will help you a lot in kneading for a long time and have the flour at hand to roll out the dough.
Be careful to braid the Babka in the right way by keeping the central part cut upwards, so that the chocolate forms a beautiful pattern on the surface.
If reading this post you have found some comfort about your leavened products, know that I understand you and you are not alone, I am with you. Try this recipe and let me know if anything good came out of it!
Happy baking!
Recipe
Download the PDF
Preparation time 4 hours
Baking time 40 minutes
Servings 2 plumcake molds
Ingredients
Dough
3 eggs
90 gr dof butter
80 gr of sugar
200 gr of flour 00
250 gr of manitoba flour
130 gr of full fat milk
1 pinch of salt
7 gr of dry yeast
Filling
150 gr of dark chocolate
120 gr of butter
50 gr of sugar
Method
FOT THE DOUGH
1. Add the flours, yeast and sugar to a stand mixer with a hook and mix briefly
2. In a bowl, quickly beat the milk with the eggs with the help of a fork, add them into the mixer at medium speed, leave to knead until the dough is well strung (about 10-15 minutes)
3. When the dough becomes elastic and comes off the sides of the bowl, add the soft butter in small pieces, incorporating it well, mix for 15 minutes
4. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand giving strength to the dough and thus activating the yeast
5. Leave to rest and rise for two hours in a lightly buttered bowl covered with cling film. Let it rise inside the oven with the light on
FOR THE FILLING
1. Melt the butter with chocolate and sugar in a bain-marie, set aside to cool
2. 10 minutes before use, place in the refrigerator
BRAIDING
1. On the floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle, spread a thin layer of cold chocolate cream from the fridge over the entire surface
2. Roll the dough from the long side to obtain a roll. Cut the roll lengthwise and intertwine the two parts keeping the inner side upwards in correspondence with the cut
3. Place the braid in the plumcake mold and leave to rise for another 60 minutes
4. Bake the Babka in a static oven at 175 ° for about 40 minutes
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