Babka Pie
Yield 1 pie
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Description
Babka Pie is a rich and elegant cake-bread with swirls of decadent chocolate filling, perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth.Kosher, Dairy
Equipment
- A standing mixer fitted with a dough hook
- Rubber spatula
- pie plate
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Chef knife optional
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 stick (110g) unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole (full-fat) milk
- 3 and 1/2 cups (500g) sifted all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting and kneading
- 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (10g) active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- butter or natural oil for greasing the dough and pan
For the chocolate filling:
- 1 small jar (13oz) of Nutella or your favorite chocolate spread
**Or** Make your own spread:
- 1 stick (110g) unsalted butter that is very soft but not completely melted
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons (40g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
For brushing
- 1 any size egg
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or water
For the sugar syrup:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the milk and stir well.
- Place flour, yeast, and sugar in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and milk-butter mixture, and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together (2-3 minutes). Add salt. If the dough hasn’t come together, add a few drops of water or milk. Occasionally, scrap the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Continue mixing for about 10 minutes on medium speed until the dough is completely smooth, elastic, and shiny, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
The first rise:
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl with floured hands and spray the top with oil. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Place it in a warm environment to rise until doubled, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
- Alternatively, leave it in the fridge for at least half a day or overnight to rise. *If placed a long time in the fridge, the dough can become hard – that’s normal; leave it at room temperature to soften for 30-60 minutes or until it’s easy to work with.
Make the filling: *skip this step if you are using a store-bought spread
- In a bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon until well combined. It should be a thick, spreadable consistency.
Make the pie:
- Grease the pan with a thin layer of oil.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a long rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread the filling evenly across the entire surface of the dough, right up to the edges.
- Starting from the wider side, tightly roll the dough into a jelly roll shape.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the roll lengthwise.
- Twist the two halves together, forming a braid. Coil the twisted dough around itself into a spiral, tucking the end underneath. Carefully transfer it to a prepared pan, exposed chocolate-side up, and cover it with a clean towel.
Second rise:
- Allow the pie to rest for 45min-90min (depending on how warm your room is) until almost doubled in size.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Whisk two tablespoons of milk with the egg and brush the babka. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until babka is golden brown on top. If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should read between 190°F to 200°F in the center of the loaf.
- Remove from the oven and generously brush with syrup. Let it cool completely before slicing.
While the babka bakes, you’ll need to make the sugar syrup:
- While the babka bakes, you’ll need to make syrup to brush it over with. Bring sugar and water to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. As soon as the babka leaves the oven, brush the syrup all over it. It will seem like too much, but it will taste just right — glossy and moist. Let cool about halfway in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way before slicing.