Snowflake Pull-Apart Chocolate Babka
Yield 1 cake
Print
Pin Recipe
Description
Snowflake Pull-Apart Chocolate Babka will make a great addition to your party spread or brunch menu! Kosher, Dairy
Equipment
- A standing mixer fitted with a dough hook
- 2-inch wide glass or a round cookie-cutter
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Pastry silicon mat with measurements
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Chef knife or a dough scraper
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) all-purpose flour, sifted 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
- 1 cup chocolate spread like Nutella
For brushing
- 1 any size egg
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or water
For garnish:
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered 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 until combined.
- Add the eggs and milk 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:
- With floured hands, transfer dough to a large bowl and grease the top with oil. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for at least half a day or overnight (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). Alternatively, place at room temperature for 2-4 hours or until almost doubled in size.
Assemble the snowflake:
- Remove the dough from the bowl and put it on a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut the dough in three. Work with only one piece of dough at a time. Place a clean towel over the dough you aren’t working with so it won’t dry out.
- Roll one piece of dough into a 10-inch circle, about 3/4 inch thick. I used pastry silicon mat with measurements, and it was extremely helpful.
- Place one circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread 1/2 of the chocolate over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Place another circle of dough on top and spread with the remaining 1/2 of the filling. Finish with the 3rd dough round.
- Place a 2-inch wide glass or a round cookie cutter in the center of the dough. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into four triangles, then cut each triangle in half, creating 8 triangles. Now cut each triangle in half again to make a total of 16 triangles. Remove the glass.
- Lift the edges of 2 wedges that are next to each other and twist them away from each other twice. Pinch the ends to seal and repeat with the remaining pairs of wedges.
Second rise:
- Cover the dough with a clean towel and allow it to rest and puff for 45 minutes to an hour.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons of milk with the egg and brush the snowflake. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until babka is golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and generously sprinkle powdered sugar.