For years I avoided every Babka recipe for fear of the time and effort. That is until I made this one, which all of my guests polished off in one sitting!
Ingredients:
- 1 14 ounces box of frozen Kineret brand Chall-Ettes of Challah
- 3 tablespoons of good quality dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter or margarine melted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cut a sheet of unbleached parchment paper to fit the bottom and up the sides of a 5 1/2 by 10 1/2 loaf pan, or spray heavily with nonstick cooking spray. The parchment paper will enable you to move the Babka from the pan and transfer it to a serving tray; without it, you may need to serve it from the loaf pan.
- Open the package of Challah dough. Allow the Challah rolls to stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, until the rolls are soft enough to unknot.
- Break each strand of the Challah dough into 5-6 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball between your palms. Drop the balls, a few at a time into the cocoa mixture.
- Dip each ball into the melted butter or margarine, shake off excess, and then drop back into the cocoa mixture, drop into prepared pan.
- Pour the remaining cocoa mixture into the remaining butter or margarine and use your fingers to pinch it into course crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the Babka.
- Cover the pan with a kitchen towel. Open the door of the preheated oven and set the pan on the open door. The indirect heat from the oven will help it rise quickly.
- Allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Close the oven door, and allow the oven to return to 325 degrees and bake the Babka for about 30 minutes more.
- Serve warm. To remove the Babka from the loaf pan, slip a spatula under the parchment, hold a platter and flip the cake out. Carefully flip it back over so that the crumbs face up and let your guests pull it apart.
