Recipe
Chocolate and hazelnut babka with cognac glaze recipe
An Eastern European classic festive dessert, this chocolate and hazelnut babka is a calming labour of love.
By Anastasia Zolotarev
This babka is a perfect example of how practice makes perfect. The recipe makes 2 wreaths: so make one for yourself and gift one to a friend or neighbour, especially during a festive season.
My babushkas rarely baked in small batches, particularly yeasted doughs, the thinking being that if you’re turning on the oven and using energy, you may as well bake a generous amount.
Ingredients to make this chocolate and hazelnut babka
MAKES 2 WREATHS
250ml lukewarm milk
14g fast-action dried yeast
4 Tbsp sugar
800g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
250g butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
3 eggs
150ml sour cream
pinch of salt
For the filling
150g chocolate (70% cocoa),roughly chopped
100g butter
200g brown sugar
30g cacao
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
30g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
For the glaze
50g brown sugar
2 Tbsp cognac
4 Tbsp water
How to make this chocolate and hazelnut babka
Put the lukewarm milk in a bowl and mix in the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the flour. Whisk quickly and set aside for 10 minutes until frothy. Put the butter
in a pan and melt over a medium heat, then set aside to cool slightly. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then slowly pour the cooled butter into the eggs, while whisking, followed by the soured cream, and whisk again until smooth.
Sift the remaining flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and then add the salt and the rest of the sugar for the dough. Pour in the egg and cream mixture, along with the activated yeast mixture. Mix on low–medium speed for 5 minutes or until well combined.
Remove and form into a round shape, using extra flour if needed but keep in mind this is a moist dough owing to the soured cream. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and set aside to rise and double in size.
If your kitchen is cold, you can put the dough in a heatproof bowl and place in a conventional oven set at 40°C (104°F) – allow up to 1 hour.
Just before rolling out the dough, make the filling. Set a small heatproof bowl on top of a saucepan one-third filled with water and place over a gentle heat. When the water is simmering, put the chocolate, butter, sugar, cacao, cinnamon and salt in the bowl and stir. Once melted, set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/Gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal parts about 840g each. Flour the worktop generously and roll out the first piece to a rectangle roughly 55 x 25cm; it doesn’t have to be exact.
Use a spatula to spread half the chocolate filling evenly over the surface, then sprinkle with half the hazelnuts. Leave the second piece covered.
Use your hands to roll up the dough, starting with one long side and rolling to form one very long roll, ensuring an even width of around 8cm. Leaving one short end intact, partially divide the roll into three long pieces, ready to braid.
Turn each piece so that the chocolate filling is facing upwards. Braid the three pieces into a plait, then attach the ends by pressing them together tightly.
Place the wreath on the lined baking tray. Let it rise even more before baking, if needed; though, most of the time it’s good to go straight into the oven. Bake for 50–60 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the second wreath and bake it on the bottom shelf at the same time as the first (or leave to rise further in your kitchen until the first one is baked).
Once both wreaths are baked, make the glaze by putting the sugar, cognac and water into a small saucepan and simmering for 1 minute. While they are still warm, brush the top of the wreaths with this glaze.
Slice and enjoy fresh or store in an airtight container to eat over the week ahead.
This is an extract from Sour Cherries and Sunflowers | Recipes from Eastern Europe and Beyond by Anastasia Zoloatarev. Hardie Grant, $45.00
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