ssugarpill

It’s taken me some time to get to this post for a few reasons. To begin with, I took a class with a renowned Israeli chef/baker named Lior Mashiach who taught me how to make four kinds of bread… but I was really only there for the babka. There seems to be a confusion in Israel as to “what the fuck is a babka?,” but apparently is what a Oaxacan would say when you ask for queso Oaxaca (they call is quesillo there), and this is a cake for them. Plain and simple, Ugá. But this is soo not a cake, nor plain nor simple. For starters, this is heaven, and secondly, it’s not even really dessert. It’s a bread with just as much bread as chocolate (or whatever filling you make) and it’s more like a breakfast meal. But as long as you mention Seinfeld, people understand. babka.

Now the other reason I took my time, is because we’ve been hosting so many people this last week, culminating in a Mexican inspired fiesta for a 30 y.o., with so much  food,  I barely had time to think about this. I overlooked what I had been waiting for all week… This blog’s 2nd birthday!! I started barely knowing how to make a video and really just learning how to cook. But I needed a personal project and this gave me a push to eat amazing food most of my days and do something I hadn’t realized I liked: teaching.  Even if it hasn’t had the success I wish it had, as long as I keep hearing from people saying they like it, I’ll work on it as long as I can still fit in my kitchen. This birthday is almost coinciding with my 100th guest on EatWith!, that means, in four days, 100 people will have eaten (and paid for) my food!- meaning I have no idea how many people, in general, have eaten my food, but I hope there are even more people who will have cooked my recipes in their own kitchens. Thank you for considering my food as parts of your wishful lives and reading my food-coma-induced ramblings. If you wish to be an even greater part of this project, please consider donating via Patreon.

And last but not least, thank you, Aslan, for being my sous-chef//pinche, my Guinea pig, my harshest critic, and greatest supporter. One of these babkas is for you ❤

Chocolate Babka:

•  4 cups flour (535g)
  160 ml water
  1 Tbsp honey
  37 g sugar (about 1/4 cup minus 1 Tbsp)
  2 eggs
  65g (3-4) egg yolks
  60 ml oil
  12 g salt (1 tsp)
  16 g fresh yeast (2 Tbsp) or 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
• For the filling, you can make up your own and put whatever inside. I make a chocolate one with approximate measurements until I have a spreadable filling. Play around with it until it tastes good to you and it looks spreadable:
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
• Syrup: 1/2 C sugar+1/2 C water
• Egg wash: 1 egg

If using dry yeast, mix it with the warm water and sugar, and let it activate (5-15 minutes). When ready, mix everything in a large bowl and knead until soft, using your hands or a mixer with the hook attachment, for about 10 minutes. Oil a bowl and transfer the dough there.  Cover it with plastic and let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, mix the filling ingredients in a small pot and melt them until spreadable, taste and adjust ingredients. If it’s too thick, add more butter or chocolate, if otherwise, add more sugar and cocoa. Flour a surface and roll the dough into a flat rectangle, about 1/4 in thick. Spread the filling throughout the entire surface. Start rolling the dough into a log. Slice it in the middle (you will make two loaves). Take one of them and slice it lengthwise. Place one of the long pieces on top of the other making an X and then twist from the center to the sides until everything is twisted, pinching the ends to close it. Repeat with the second piece and place them in long loaf pans. Beat an egg and use a brush to spread it over the loaves. Let them rise for 10-20 minutes, then brush again with the egg. Bake at 360º for 35-40min, until golden brown.  Meanwhile, in a small pot, cook the sugar and water until dissolved. Drizzle the syrup over the babkas right out of the oven.

Español:

Para todo ustedes que me leen, les platico que esta semana se cumplieron 2 años desde el nacimiento de ssugarpill ! Un blog que empecé apenas sabiendo cómo hacer un video y con poca idea sobre la cocina en general. Si no ha llegado a tener el éxito que esperaba, con tan sólo recibir sus comentarios pienso seguirlo creciendo hasta que no pueda seguir cabiendo en mi cocina. Con el cumpleaños también se cumplen (este sábado) las 100 personas que han venido a mi casa a comer a traves de EatWith. Todo se me hace muy dificil de creer. Pero para materializarlo, nunca está de más un pastel (o dos), y aun mejor si son babkas de chocolate.

Para los que no conocen el babka, esto es una trenza de chocolate hecha de una masa con mucha levadura y huevo. El resultado es esponjoso y tiene la increíble idea de que por cada capa de pan hay una de chocolate. También lo puedes rellenar de canela, halvá, chocolate blanco, etc. Y el pan es parve, por lo que puedes hacer un relleno también parve y voilá! Y para los que quieran ser una parte aun más importante de éste proyecto, por favor consideren hacer una donación a traves de Patreon, y se los agradeceré eternamente. 

Babka de Chocolate:

•  4 T harina (535g)
  160 ml agua
  1 Cda miel
  1/4 T azúcar menos 1 Cda (37g)
  2 huevos
  65g (3-4) yemas de huevo
  60 ml aceite
  12 g sal (1 cdta)
  16 g levadura fresca (2 Cda) o 1 1/2 cdta levadura instantánea
• Relleno (puedes adaptarlo a tus gustos, agregando halva, canela, chocolate blanco, etc) Las medidas no son exactas, vas probando hasta que quede una consistencia untable pero no muy líquida:
  • 1 T chispas de chocolate
  • 1 barrita mantequilla (o margarina para ser parve)
  • 1 T cocoa
  • 1/2 T azúcar
  • 1 cdta vainilla
• Miel: 1/2 T Azúcar+1/2 T agua
• Barnizado: 1 huevo batido

Si se usa levadura seca, se espolvorea sobre el agua tibia y el azúcar y se deja activar (hhasta que se forme una espuma encima), como 5-15 minutos. Se baten todos los ingredientes en una batidora con el gancho. Se amasa hasta que quede suave y flexible, amasando 7-10 minutos más. Se aceita un tazón y se pasa la masa. Se cubre deja esponjar 1-2 horas, o hasta que duplique su tamaño. Se hace el relleno derritiendo todo en un recipiente. Se limpia ua superficie plana y se cubre con harina. Se aplana la masa creando un rectángulo alargadocomo de 1/2cm de grueso. Se unta el relleno en toda la superficie. Se enrolla la masa a lo largo y se corta a la mitad de largo (van a ser 2 babkas). Se parte a lo largo por la mitad y se sobreponen las dos mitades con el relleno viendo hacia arriba, creando una x. Se enrollan hacia cada lado creando una trenza de 2. Se repite con la otr mitad. Se ponen en moldes de panqué y se barnizan con el huevo. Se dejan reposar 10-20 minutos y se vuelven a barnizar. Se hornean a 180º por 35-40 minutos hasta que quede dorada la masa. El azúcar y el agua se ponen en el fuego a derretir, y en cuanto salgan del horno los pasteles se les pone la miel.