MilkFreeMe Chocolate Babka

I LOVE kneading dough. There is something divinely peaceful about the process. My joy of all joys is when I turn out my dough and the world stills for a moment while I knead this ball of flour, yeast and water into a springy elastic ball of doughy deliciousness.

My last bread baking experiment did not turn out as planned; the original recipe called for 4 to 4 1/2 cups of flour when it truly should have called for 3 to 4 cups of flour. This resulted in a very dense and unpleasant dough ball. The end product was totally edible, but the texture was not what I hoped for. Lesson learned.

When searching for a viable recipe it's VERY important to consider the ratio of ingredients.  For the most part, recipes that call for 1 packet (or 2 1/4 tsp) of yeast, should call for 1 cup of liquid (water or milk) and 3 to 4 cups of flour. It will also likely call for approximately 1/4 cup of some type of oil. I like the idea of starting with 3 cups of flour and then slowly adding anywhere up to 1 additional cup to get just the right texture. This is very much like making pie crust and slowly adding water based on the humidity in the air. Truth in baking: you can always add more but you can't take it out.

I decided to test my theory by making my own Chocolate Babka recipe. I took the best parts from several different recipes and several different variations of "babka" and came up with my very own MilkFreeMe Chocolate Babka.

MILKFREEME CHOCOLATE BABKA
Makes one 14-inch giant babka or two smaller 7-inch babkas 

• 1/2 cup almond milk (warmed until almost uncomfortable to stick your finger in it)
• 1/2 cup water (let the water faucet run until hot)
• 3 tbs white sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp of active dry yeast (or one yeast packet)
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup melted Earth Balance Buttery Spread or oil of your choice (I bet coconut would be good!)
• 3 to 4 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 oz chocolate finely chopped; dairy free semi sweet (I whirled mine in a mini food processor until pea sized)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• (optional: 1 egg combined with 1 tbs water for egg wash and sanding sugar to sprinkle the top)

Turn on your oven to the lowest possible setting, mine is 170 degrees Fahrenheit; this will be used as the environment for my dough to rise. (If you have a warm, draft free, place where your dough rises without this step feel free to omit.)

In a large bowl combine the warmed almond milk, water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to stand 5 minutes or until frothy.

Add the egg, vanilla, and oil and mix to combine.

Combine 3 cups flour with 1 tsp salt and add to the yeast mixture. Stir with a fork to combine.
As the dough starts to come together, flour a work surface and have up to 1 cup additional flour available. Turn out the dough and knead until a soft, elastic, almost sticky but not quite, ball of dough comes together. Add flour as necessary.

TURN OFF THE OVEN. Oil your large mixing bowl, place your dough ball in the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a tea bowl and put the bowl in the oven. Allow to rise for 1 hour.
Prepare the filling by combining the chocolate, brown sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside until your dough has risen.

Remove dough from the oven, punch down, turn out onto a very lightly floured surface (you might not actually need the flour if the dough isn't sticking to your hands), knead a few additional times and roll out to approximately a 12 by 8 inch rectangle. Sprinkle generously with the chocolate filling mixture and gently press the filling into the dough. Roll the rectangle jelly roll style (rolling the long side) and decide if you're making two smaller babkas (in which case cut the log in half) or one bigger sized babka. Seal the ends of the logs by pinching them closed and place on your baking stone or a parchment lined baking sheet. Then place back into the oven, lightly covered by a tea towel and allow to rise for a second time, about 45 minutes to an hour.

REMOVE YOUR BREAD FROM THE OVEN and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven preheats create slashes in the top of the bread with a sharp knife. At this point you can brush the babkas with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar if you choose.

Bake the babka(s) for 20 to 30 minutes (the bigger loaf may need a longer cooking time than the two smaller loaves). When the outside is a golden brown and the bread sounds hollow to a gentle knock on the dough your bread is done. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool at least 1 hour. If the chocolate filling is too hot it will ooze out when you cut it and quite frankly I prefer my filling in the bread!

I'm happy with my babka. The dough had a nice texture and the swirl of chocolate provided a beautiful contrast. Pretty as a picture and SO delicious!

Peace,
Laura

Classic New Orleans Beignets; Milk Free

The first time Hubby and I visited New Orleans we fell in love (as most do) with the deep fried pillows of dough called beignets. This delectable doughnut is French in origin and very popular in the Creole cuisine of New Orleans. Although beignets can be found throughout New Orleans, Cafe du Monde in Jackson Square is famous for their beignets, which are covered in a mountain of powdered sugar. Mmmmm. On our last visit to NOLA we were turned on to the delightful pillows of dough served at Cafe Beignet on Royal St, not to be missed if you're a beignet fan! I daydream about resting my head on a puffy pillow of dough and falling peacefully into a sugar coma.

Needless to say, as Mardi Gras (Carnivale) season is in full swing and Fat Tuesday is just around the corner, my thoughts have been wandering the streets of the French Quarter.  Thankfully, with my yeast bread resolution this year, I have the perfect excuse to make some fresh hot beignets at home!

Since many of the recipes out there call for milk, butter and/or buttermilk, I turned to a recipe by Country Cleaver  http://www.countrycleaver.com/2014/01/raspberry-beignets.html which calls only for water. I was a little apprehensive since she readily admits that she's never been to New Orleans, but her photos looked strikingly like classic Cafe du Monde beignets. Plus, her recipe was adapted from Cooks Country New Orleans Beignets, so I figured it was worth a shot.

MILK FREE BEIGNETS by Country Cleaver (my adaptations noted)
Makes 30

• 1 cup water
• 3 tbs sugar
• 1 envelope quick rise yeast 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 3 cups flour (plus more for rolling out dough)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs 
• 2 tbs vegetable oil 2 tbs coconut oil, melted (plus more for frying, unless you're baking)

"In a mixing bowl with a dough hook attachment, combine water, 1 Tbsp sugar and yeast. Let the yeast rest until foamy - 5 to 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, remaining sugar and salt.
Into the yeast mixture, mix in the eggs and 2 Tbsp Vegetable melted coconut oil.
Into the yeast mixture, with the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour (turn out to a lightly floured surface) and knead until the dough comes together.
Remove the Return to the bowl and dough attachment from the mixer, covering the bowl with plastic wrap and placing in fridge until doubled in size - 1-2 hours allow to rise in an warm draft free place (such as an oven first warmed to 170 degrees and then turned off).

On a heavily floured surface, roll out the dough until ¼" thick - Make sure to sprinkle the top of the dough with flour before rolling so the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin. Using pizza cutter, cut dough into several rectangles, and squares 2x2 inches, or so. They don't have to be exact.

Pour oil into a large dutch oven or electic skillet that measures 1 ½ inches deep. Heat to 350 degrees. Place a few beignets into the heated oil. Fry on each side until deep golden brown, about 2-3 minutes and then flip to continue frying. Remove beignets from oil and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet or cooling rack to drain. Dust beignets with powdered sugar, best if served immediately."

Despite Country Cleaver's lack of personal experience with NOLA beignets she really pulled this one off. These were fantastic!  Her original recipe includes a raspberry sauce, which I decided to forgo in favor of the classic mountain of powdered sugar.

Today, while the snow falls here in Ohio, I'm cozy in my kitchen enjoying hot fresh beignets and dreaming of New Orleans.

Peace,
Laura