Old-fashioned Chocolate Babka

I met Chasi Segal (32)—wonderful pastry chef, mother of 3, and blogger—quite by chance a few months ago when she joined me on a volunteer project. She has 13 siblings (she is the youngest) and discovered the joy of baking at an early age when she baked at home and fell in love with it. Her parents, who emigrated from France to Israel, brought quite a bit of French culture with them, and at the age of 20, after years of home baking for family and friends, she decided to study pastry professionally and later held baking workshops and ran a cottage bakery out of her home. “Although I studied and grew up on classic patisserie, at some point I realized that what interests me is home baking. Warm. The kind that brings satisfaction and flavor to the family. I want people who make my recipes to be thrilled at how good they taste. That they succeeded.”

And amidst all her sweet work, one dream remained – to start a blog that will teach others the joy of baking. A dream that she fulfilled in recent years. In addition to managing her blog and Instagram, she also advises people who want to jump into the water but are still a little afraid. “I want to help people fulfill their dream.”

On the day we met to make and photograph her wonderful chocolate babka, I got to know her a little better, and understood how much depth and wisdom she had. How much she had absorbed from all worlds – from French patisserie to home baking, from the religious and the secular, and also from the many people she met along the way. She embraced everyone, with an open mind  and heart, with soul and a warm hug. Just like her cakes. Just like the Sukkot holiday, which brings us together.

The chocolate babka before you, made by Chasi, is one of the tastiest I’ve ever had, and let’s just say I’ve tasted a few. It’s soft and full of chocolate, very reminiscent of the cakes of old, the ones we miss the most, and it brings so much joy to the table. It keeps wonderfully a day or two later, if you can resist that long, just keep it in a sealed bag or box at room temperature.

• Don’t miss: more excellent babka recipes.

Old-fashioned Chocolate Babka

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Serves: 4 loaf cakes or 1 8-8.5 inch (20-22 cm) cake Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

Makes 4 loaf cakes or 1 8-8.5 inch (20-22 cm) cake

For the dough:

• 2.2 lbs (1 kilo) sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (200 grams) white sugar
• 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) dry yeast
• 1½ cups (360 ml) milk at room temperature
• 1¾ sticks (200 grams) soft butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 level teaspoon salt

For chocolate filling:

• 10.5 tablespoons (150 grams) butter
• 3 tablespoons (150 grams) hazelnut paste or chocolate spread
• 10.5 oz (300 grams) high-quality dark chocolate
• A pinch of salt
• 1⅓ cups (260 grams) white sugar
• 9 tablespoons (100 grams) high-quality cocoa
• 1 egg for brushing

Sugar syrup for after baking:

• ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
• ¾ cup (200 ml) water

Instructions

- To prepare the dough: Place all the dough ingredients, except the milk, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, and knead on low speed for 2 minutes.
- Gradually add milk until a uniform, slightly sticky dough forms that separates from the sides of the bowl. Much depends on the humidity outside and the type of flour. Knead on medium-low speed for 12 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, form into a uniform ball, and grease the bowl on all sides. Return it to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (an hour and a half or overnight in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap).
- After proofing, divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
- Chocolate filling: Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave or over a double boiler until you get a shiny, smooth chocolate sauce. Add in sugar, salt, and cocoa and mix. Keep in the refrigerator until it sets and is comfortable for spreading. If the spread hardens too much, heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
- Roll each portion of dough into a thin rectangle and spread with the chocolate filling.
- Roll into a tight log, cut lengthwise in the center into 2 strips with a serrated knife, and twist the 2 strips together into a screw with the cut side facing upward. Place in a pan, cover and let rise for 40 minutes.
- Brush with egg and bake for 30-35 minutes in an oven preheated to 355F (180C) degrees.
- Meanwhile, cook the sugar and water in a small saucepan for 5-7 minutes.
- When the cakes come out of the oven, brush them generously with sugar syrup.

Look at this slice of happiness! Photo: Tal Sivan-Ziporin