Why is babka so good?

Simply put, babka is delicious. It of course tastes of the buttery dough, but it also tastes like the filling . The most popular babka filling is chocolate, either in the form of melted chocolate, chocolate chips, or chocolate-hazelnut spread like Nutella.

How do you know when babka is done?

To be extra sure that your babka loaf has finished baking, you can use an instant-read thermometer to check if the internal temperature has reached 190°F . This method is also great if you don't have a long enough toothpick to get to the middle of the loaf. Don't skip the sugar syrup at the end.

Too much flour can create a very DRY yeast bread . Now if you really need a bit of flour go for it, but use as little as possible. The dough is so silky that it rolls out beautifully and I don't get need any flour at all!

Do you eat babka with butter?

Aside from eating babka on its own, you can also use it to make French toast, bread pudding, or even as a base for a decadent ice cream sundae. You can also slice it and toast it, then spread it with butter or your favorite jam.

Why do Jews eat babka?

One theory says Babka is indigenous to the Ukraine, part of an ancient fertility symbol. The story of chocolate and the Jewish community is a bit different in the Mediterranean. There, Jews and chocolate went together like bagels and cream cheese. Don't miss what matters.

Is babka served warm or cold?

Slice the babka and serve it at room temperature ; or rewarm individual slices briefly in a toaster, if desired.

What nationality is babka bread?

A babka is a sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine . It is popular in Israel (often referred to as simply a yeast cake: עוגת שמרים) and in the Jewish diaspora.

Should babka be refrigerated?

Store your babka at room temperature in the provided packaging using the reseal tab on the back if opened; do not refrigerate . Our babkas are baked daily and, if you can resist eating them, will stay delicious for up to 5 days after purchase.

Can you let dough rise too long?

“If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it ,” says Maggie.

What makes babka different?

Like challah, it is braided and made from a rich yeasted dough, but unlike challah, it is filled and glazed with a sweet syrup . While chocolate babka has grown in popularity in recent years, it has also continued to evolve. New variations include different shapes, glazes, fillings and more.

What is a fun fact about babka?

The word 'babka' means grandmother, referring to the grandmothers on Shabbat who made this out of the leftover challah. Chocolate wasn't added to babka until Jews arrived in New York. Chocolate became more affordable and accessible, so Jews started embellishing their babkas with rich chocolate instead of cinnamon.

Is babka a New York thing?

Since New York has become the center of the babka universe , I scanned the New York Times digital archives to see if it might yield more about babka, how it came to be a New York food, and when chocolate entered the story. That surfaced a lot of hits for Polish babka, sometimes with nuts/ cinnamon or cheese.

What does babka symbolize?

Each item within the basket has a symbolic meaning – Eggs: new life or Christ's Resurrection, Butter (often shaped into a lamb): goodwill, Kiełbasa or ham: God's generosity, joy and abundance, Salt: necessary for life, Bread and Babka: symbolic of Jesus who is the bread of life.

Halvah and Nutella Babka Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Sheet Pan

by: Yossy Arefi

July14,2015

4.8

4 Ratings

Halvah and Nutella Babka Recipe on Food52 (1)

Author Notes

This sweet, nutty, and rich yeast bread is adapted from the chocolate krantz cakes in Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. —Yossy Arefi

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the dough:
4 cupsall-purpose flour, plus more as needed
¹/₂ cupsuperfine sugar
2 teaspoonsinstant yeast
3 large eggs
¹/₂ cupwater
1 teaspoonsalt
²/₃ cupunsalted butter, softened

For the filling and the syrup:
Filling
²/₃ cupNutella
2 cupscrumbled plain sesame halvah
Syrup
¹/₃ cupwater
6 tablespoonsgranulated sugar

Directions

For the dough, add the flour, sugar, and yeast to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs and water and mix on low speed for a few seconds, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes, until the dough comes together. Add the salt and then start adding the butter, a few cubes at a time, mixing until it is incorporated into the dough. Continue mixing for about 10 minutes on medium speed, until the dough is completely smooth, elastic, and shiny. During the mixing, you will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times and add a small amount of flour onto the sides so that all of the dough doesn't stick too much.
Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Grease two 9- by 4-inch loaf pans with butter and line the bottom of each pan with a piece of parchment paper. Divide the dough in half and keep one half covered in the fridge.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring about 15- by 11-inches. Trim the sides to make them more or less even. Use an offset spatula to spread half the Nutella on the dough, leaving a 3⁄4-inch border all around. Sprinkle half of the halvah over the top.
Brush a little bit of water along the long end farthest away from you. Use both hands to roll up the dough into a long log. Press to seal the dampened end. Transfer the dough to a sheet pan, seam side down, and freeze for 15 minutes to make the next step a bit easier. Repeat the rolling, filling, and re-rolling with the other half of the dough and filling.
Working with one roll at a time, use a serrated knife to trim about 1/2 inch off both ends of the roll. Use the knife to gently saw the roll into half lengthwise. With the cut sides facing up, gently pinch one end of each half together, and then lift the right half over the left half. Repeat this process, but this time lift the left half over the right so that you're making a twist. Try to keep the cut sides facing outward. When you get to the end, gently squeeze the two halves together. Carefully lift the cake into one of the prepared loaf pans. Cover the pan with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The loaf will rise and get puffy but will not double in size. Repeat the process to make the second loaf.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Remove the tea towels, place the cakes on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cakes are in the oven, make the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, then remove the pan from the heat. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, brush them liberally with the syrup. Use all of it. Let the loaves cool for about 30 minutes, then remove them from the pans to cool completely.

Recipe by: Yossy Arefi

apt2bbakingco.com

Yossy Arefi is a photographer and stylist with a passion for food. During her stint working in restaurant kitchens, Yossy started the blog Apt. 2B Baking Co. where, with her trusty Pentax film camera, she photographs and writes about seasonal desserts and preserves. She currently lives in Brooklyn but will always love her native city of Seattle. Follow her work at apt2bbakingco.blogspot.com & yossyarefi.com.

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2 Reviews

Mona P. December 24, 2016

Can this be made ahead and frozen?

eleni.benetatos August 22, 2015

I made this yesterday for the first time all I can say my adult kids loved it thank you!!!