CHOCOLATE BABKA

I must admit that lately I have lacked desire for particular culinary exploration. Perhaps I've been caught in a certain routine where fun experiments are too much trouble not to mention a certain amount of writer's block that has taken over this culinary explorer's brain. Pfff....

Nevertheless here's a little treat for you. Really, I don't want to brag or anything, but it is seriously good!

What? CHOCOLATE BABKA

Who? Jewish cake introduced to me by Heidi Park via Estonian food magazine Oma Maitse December 2009 issue.

I added personal touch by changing some ingredients and hence making it more healthy? :)) I failed miserably at the part of twisting the babka, but it didn't not affect the flavour any bit.

the dough for 1 babka:

25 g yeast

100 ml milk

300 g spelt wheat

1 tsp salt

70 g unrefined sugar

1 tbs cardamom

1 tbs cognac

1 egg

100 g butter

 

filling:

100 g at least 70% dark chocolate

100 g butter

25 g unrefined sugar

20 g cinnamon (yes that much!)

Covering:

1 egg yolk

some milk

Warm the milk until about 40 degrees (should feel warm when you put your finger in it). Mix with yeast. Then add sugar, egg, cognac, wheat and salt. Mix everything.

Add slowly the melted butter and knead the dough until it is evenly doughy and smooth.Leave it in a warm place to rise (I left it in the over at 40 C covered for around 4 hours, after two hours i knead it again and let it rise again for the remaining time).

For the filling melt the cholote in water bed, add butter, sugar and cinnamon. Let it cool.

When the dough is ready for action, roll it as thin as you can and spread the filling on it. Roll it up, fold once and TWIST. Then set into a cake form and cover with mixed egg yolk and milk for extra glossiness. Bake at 175 C for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 150 C and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

Once it is baked, let it cool (if you have the patience) and indulge away the night with your closest buddies.