How To Make Chocolate Babka Bread Pudding Food

CHOCOLATE BABKA

Steps:

• Warm the milk and melt 1/4 cup butter in a glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, or on the stovetop in a saucepan. Combine the bread flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, yeast, and 1/4 cup sugar. Add the water, the milk-butter mixture, the egg, and the salt to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Use the dough hook in a stand mixer on low speed or knead the dough by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add more bread flour, about 2 tablespoonfuls at a time (up to 8 tablespoons) to make a workable dough; too much flour can make the dough dry. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Make the chocolate filling and the streusel while the dough is rising. For the filling, stir together the finely chopped chocolate, the cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup chilled butter with a fork. To make the streusel, combine the confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; cut in 1/4 cup chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• When the dough has doubled, punch the dough down and cut it into two equal pieces. Loosely shape each piece into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll out one portion on a lightly floured surface to form a 15x4-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with half the chocolate filling, roll up to form a long log, and seal the seam. Attach the ends to form a circle and place the ring, seam-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Use a serrated knife or kitchen shears to cut slits at 1-inch intervals around the rings. Cover the rings with damp kitchen towels and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Brush the loaves with the egg wash, if desired. Sprinkle streusel on top. Bake the loaves for about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets to promote even browning, until the bread is a deep golden brown.

CHOCOLATE BABKA BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish or disposable foil pan. Cut the challah and babka into cubes, about 1 inch square.
• In a very large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, cream, cinnamon and salt. Add the cubed bread and gently mix together, using your hands or a rubber spatula, until the egg mixture is absorbed. Transfer to the prepared pan and distribute evenly, pressing gently to level the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until firm and crusty on top.
• Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares or scoop with a large spoon.

CHOCOLATE BABKA BREAD PUDDING WITH RUM-SPIKED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the cherries and rum in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes to soften. Cut the chocolate babka into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and bake until browned around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and granulated sugar until combined. Add the toasted babka and rum and cherries and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Place on a baking sheet (to catch any spillover) and bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes; the pudding is done when lightly browned around the edges and the mixture springs back when pressed gently in the center. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
• In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, confectioners¿ sugar, orange zest and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Serve bread pudding warm with dollops of whipped cream on top and garnished with shaved chocolate.

CHOCOLATE BABKA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over the milk in a liquid measuring cup; add a pinch of sugar and set aside until bubbly, about 7 minutes. Combine the flour, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, the eggs, yeast mixture, salt, vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes. Knead in the butter in three additions, dusting the dough with flour if it's too sticky. Transfer the dough to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough, re-cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge overnight.
• Make the filling: Heat the sugar, heavy cream and salt in a saucepan until scalding. Pour over the bittersweet chocolate chips, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Let cool to room temperature.
• Make the topping: Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl; work in the butter with your fingers until the mixture is sandy and chunky. Stir in the mini chocolate chips; set the topping aside.
• Form the loaves: Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Using a rolling pin, roll each half into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling on both dough rectangles, all the way to the edges. Starting from a long side, tightly roll each rectangle into a log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes. Unwrap the logs; cut each in half lengthwise with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Twist the halves together a few times, starting from the middle. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with parchment, then spray the parchment. Place a dough twist snugly in each pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 hours.
• Finish and bake the babka: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush each loaf with butter and sprinkle with the topping. Bake until browned, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make some simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan; simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let cool. Pull the loaves out of the oven and immediately poke a bunch of holes in each with a wooden skewer. Pour 1 1/4 cups simple syrup evenly over the loaves.
• Let sit 10 minutes, then remove the babka from the pans, remove the parchment and let cool completely on a rack.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BABKA BREAD PUDDING.

Steps:

• Cut the babka into cubes about 2.5cm/1 inch and let them sit out uncovered for several hours.
• Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk to the eggs and whisk to combine everything then add the vanilla and cinnamon.
• Cover the dry babka with the liquid mixture. Toss the babka to ensure that it is coated evenly. Let the mixture stand for two hours OR place it in the fridge overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 340°F/171°C.
• Put the babka bread pudding mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish. Gently spread the babka mixture into the baking dish but don't pack it down.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes.
• Let the babka bread pudding cool for 10 minutes before adding the icing.
• Using a whisk or a hand mixer, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
• *Optional: Add another 1-2 tbsp. of milk to achieve a runnier consistency.
• Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf.