20 hrs
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Growing up, we always had a cake—specifically, babka—to kick off the weekend. There’s something special about having a cake to comfort family and guests on weekends. Cake is perfect for breakfast with your morning coffee, an afternoon snack with tea, dessert after a meal, or simply a late-night treat. Either way, having cake at home is always a delight. Now, I particularly love babka because the dough can be prepared the night before. While cooking dinner for the family, you can roll out, stuff, shape, and proof the babka dough so it’s ready right after dinner. The syrup we add atop the babka as soon as it comes out of the oven adds subtle sweet notes of rose water and helps preserve the cake’s moisture, extending its shelf life. The filling here is my go-to for Rogalach—just a hint of cinnamon. The combination of cinnamon and cocoa is so underrated; you’ve got to give it a try!
In a stand mixer’s bowl, add the milk, yeast, sugar, eggs, flour and salt. Set the stand mixer on lowest speed and mix until the ingredients all come together, about 2-3 min.
Add the soften butter, one tablespoon at a time (let the butter incorporate in the dough, then add more). Once the butter has fully incorporated in the dough, keep kneading on lowest speed for additional 10 min, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Round the dough into a tight bowl, place in a greased bowl, cover, and set in the fridge overnight (you can also leave it at room temperature for 1-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size, but I highly recommend let the dough rest in the fridge overnight).
Remove from the fridge 30 min before starting to work on it.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin to achieve a rectangular shape, with a thickness of approximately 0.5 cm.
Mix sugar, cocoa and cinnamon together until combined.
Add 75 grams of softened butter and spread it evenly over the dough. Sprinkle half of the sugar-cocoa-cinnamon mixture. Fold the dough in half and roll it out again to a rectangular shape 1.5 times the length of your loaf pan you will bake the babka in.
Add the remaining 75 grams of softened butter and spread it evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the second half of the sugar-cocoa-cinnamon mixture.
Roll the dough as tight as possible to a long cylinder shape. Place the rolled dough on a tray in the freezer for 30 min (It will help us to cut through it beautifully). After the roll cool cut it down the middle with a bread knife.
Braid them and place the babka in a loaf pan tin, with a baking sheet to help to remove the babka from the tin once ready.
Let the babka proof until almost doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.
Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by combining water, sugar, lemon zest, and rose water in a small pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 365F or 185C.
Bake for 45 min or until the interior temperature of the babka reaches 190F or 90C.
Take the babka out of the oven. Add the syrup slowly. Add a lot, please.
Let the babka cool down completely. Cut to slice. Yo! you got leftovers? make a babka French toast (recipe on the website).
YASSS!
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