MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Chocolate Babka - Part Two
Categories: Breads, Chocolate, Dairy
Yield: 12 servings

DIRECTIONS CONTINUE

PREPARE THE FILLING: In a medium saucepan over medium
heat, combine sugar, cream and salt. Simmer, stirring
occasionally, until sugar completely dissolves, about 5
minutes. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Stir in chocolate,
butter and vanilla until smooth. Let cool to room
temperature. Filling can be made up to a week ahead and
stored, covered, in the fridge. Let come to room
temperature before using.

PREPARE THE STREUSEL: In a bowl, stir together flour,
sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in melted butter
until it is evenly distributed and forms large, moist
crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Streusel can be
prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the
fridge.

PREPARE THE SYRUP: In a small saucepan, combine sugar
and ? cup/158 milliliters water. Bring to a simmer over
medium heat, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring
occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

Butter two 9" loaf pans, then line with parchment paper,
leaving 2 inches of paper hanging over on the sides to
use as handles later.

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. On a
floured surface, roll one piece into a 9-by-17-inch
rectangle. Spread with half the filling (there's no need
to leave a border). Starting with a long side, roll into
a tight coil. Transfer the coil onto a dish towel or
piece of plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for 10
minutes. Repeat with the other piece of dough.

Slice one of the dough coils in half lengthwise to
expose the filling. Twist the halves together as if you
were braiding them, then fold the braid in half so it’s
about 9 inches long. Place into a prepared pan, letting
it curl around itself if it’s a little too long for the
pan. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let
rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy
(it won’t quite double). Alternatively, you can cover
the pans with plastic wrap and let them rise in the
refrigerator overnight; bring them back to room
temperature for an hour before baking.

When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC.
Use your fingers to clump streusel together and scatter
all over the tops of the cakes. Transfer to oven and
bake until a tester goes into the cakes without any
rubbery resistance and comes out clean, 40 to 50
minutes. The cakes will also sound hollow if you unmold
them and tap on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer
will read between 185 and 210 degrees.

As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, use a skewer
or paring knife to pierce them all over going all the
way to the bottom of the cakes, and then pour the syrup
on top of the cakes, making sure to use half the syrup
for each cake.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before
serving.

By: Melissa Clark

Yield: 2 loaves

RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

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