AWW FOOD • ISSUE TWENTY-ONE 125
CHOCOLATE
& CINNAMON BABKA
PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
(+ STANDING) SERVES 8½ cup (80g) sultanas
⅓ cup (80ml) coffee−flavoured liqueur
¾ cup (180ml) lukewarm milk
4 teaspoons (14g) dried yeast
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 egg yolk
3 cups (450g) ‘00’ flour, bread flour
or plain (all−purpose) flour
3 teaspoons sea salt flakes
150g butter, softened, cubed
40g butter, extra, softened
200g dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup pouring cream
¼ cup (35g) coarsely chopped walnutsWALNUT FILLING
⅔ cup (70g) walnuts, roasted
lightly, chopped
⅓ cup (75g) firmly packed
brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
150g dark chocolate,
chopped coarsely1 Combine sultanas and liqueur
in a small bowl; set aside.
2 Combine milk, yeast and
1 tablespoon of the sugar in
a small bowl; cover with plastic
wrap. Stand bowl in a warm place
for 10 minutes or until frothy. Stir
in eggs and yolk.
3 Place flour, salt, remaining sugar
and yeast mixture in a large bowl of
an electric mixer fitted with a dough
hook attachment. Mix on low speed
until just combined, then medium
speed for 5 minutes or until soft
and elastic. With motor operating,
gradually add cubed butter, a piece
at a time, making sure the butter is
incorporated before adding the next
piece. Mix until dough is very smooth
and elastic. Place dough in a large
oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
Stand in a warm place for 1 hour
or until dough doubles in size (the
temperature should not be too warm
or the butter will melt and the dough
will be greasy).
4 Meanwhile, combine filling
ingredients in a small bowl.
5 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C
fan. Grease a non−stick 21cm
kugelhopf pan well with some
butter. Drain sultanas; reserve
2 tablespoons of the liqueur.
6 Punch down dough with your
fist. Knead lightly until smooth.
Roll dough out on a piece of floured
baking paper into a 30cm x 45cm
rectangle until 1cm thick.
7 Spread dough with extra softened
butter. Sprinkle evenly with the
liqueur−soaked sultanas and filling
mixture. Using paper as an aide, roll
up firmly from one long side. Using a
lightly oiled knife, cut the dough into
12 equal pieces (reshape pieces into
rounds); place seven pieces cut−side
out, around the outer side of the pan
(use the middle pieces of the log for
this). Place remaining end pieces of
the log around the ring of the pan,overlapping slightly; cover
with plastic wrap. Stand pan in
a warm place for 45 minutes or
until dough has almost doubled.
8 Bake babka on the lowest oven
shelf for 40 minutes or until dough is
cooked through. Stand for 5 minutes
before, turning top−side down, onto
a wire rack to cool slightly.
9 Place dark chocolate, cream
and reserved liqueur in a medium
microwave−safe bowl; microwave
on high for 1 minute or until melted
and smooth. Cool for 10 minutes.
10 Serve warm babka drizzled with
warm sauce and walnuts.Baking
COOK’S
NOTES
CHOCOLATE & CINNAMON BABKA
Both ‘00’ and bread fl our have
a higher protein content than
regular plain (all-purpose)
flour, and it is this extra gluten
protein which gives bread and
yeasted cakes their structure.
Both fl ours are sold alongside
regular fl our in supermarkets.
To make dough by hand, in
Step 3, combine ingredients
in a large bowl with a wooden
spoon to form a soft dough.
Turn out onto a well-fl oured
surface and knead for
5 minutes or until soft and
elastic. Knead butter, piece by
piece, into dough, kneading
well after each addition until
all butter is incorporated and
dough is smooth and elastic.
Continue with instructions in
Step 3. The babka is best made
on day of serving.