Babka is an Eastern European yeasted cake with deep Jewish roots and also great American popularity. One of babka’s most notorious moments was in an episode of Seinfeld. Jerry and Elaine head to Royal Bakery to pick up babka for a dinner party, and when there is no more chocolate babka, they are somewhat devastated to be forced to bring a cinnamon babka, “the lesser babka.”
Meanwhile, babka has been experiencing quite a resurgence in the past few years, ever since the launch of Breads Bakery in the U.S., which boasts one of the most decadent babkas, made with a European-style laminated dough (i.e. with lots of butter).
These days you can find sweet and savory babkas across the country and all over the internet, a trend I am proud to embrace. I’ve experimented with lots of babka flavors: sweet, savory, Latin-inspired, and just about everything in between. This s’mores babka, ideal for summertime or brunch or dessert or just because, is featured in my cookbook Modern Jewish Baker, along with several other flavors. But the s’mores is still my favorite.
It’s not the chocolate babka, but it might be a little better. I think even Jerry and Elaine would agree.
For more babka recipes and how to shape check out this video.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
- ⅓ cup + ½ tsp sugar
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 4 ½ cups unbleached all- purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup whole or 2% milk (or almond milk)
- ¾ cup (1 ½ stick) unsalted butter (or margarine), melted
- 2 large eggs
For the filling:
- ⅓ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- ½ cup marshmallow fluff
- ¼ cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
For the topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ⅓ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Suggested equipment: stand mixer, three medium sized (8 ½- by- 4 ½) loaf pans.
Directions
- To make the dough: Place the yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Add the lukewarm water and stir gently to mix. Set aside until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the flour, ⅓ cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
- In a medium saucepan, scald the milk (bring almost to a boil, until milk is just simmering). Allow to sit for 1 minute to cool just slightly.
- With mixer on low, add the water-yeast mixture, milk, and melted butter. Add eggs one at a time.
- When the dough begins to come together, after 2 to 3 minutes, turn off mixer and scrape down the sides. Raise the speed to high and mix for another 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is shiny, elastic, and smooth. It may seem like a long time to mix, but the result is worth the wait. (You can also knead vigorously by hand for 10 minutes if you don’t have a stand mixer.)
- Place dough in a greased bowl with a damp towel on top. Allow to rise 1 to 2 hours.
- Prepare three 8 ½- by- 4 ½ greased loaf pans.
- To make the crumb topping: Place all ingredients in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, mix until crumbs form.
- Cut the dough into three equal parts (use a food scale for precision). Roll out one part into a rectangle. Spread with one-third each of the chocolate hazelnut spread, then marshmallow fluff, and then sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, and roll up along the shorter side.
- Once the dough is formed into a swirled log, cut it straight down the middle so the filling is exposed. Cut ½ inch off each end. Layer each cut piece on top of one another and twist. Place in a greased loaf pan.
- Repeat with the other two pieces of babka dough. Lightly drape a kitchen towel over the top of pans. Allow to rise another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F while the dough rises.
- Top with crumb topping. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a butter knife, loosen sides of the babka from the pan, and place on wire rack to cool.
