I originally developed this recipe for a contest sponsored, in part, by Ghirardelli. They were looking for the best new s’more.

Babka and s’mores are having a moment and it seemed like a no brainer to combine the two. I love this idea and it taste amazing!

With this recipe you now have the basics for making a babka. Get creative and try some other fillings. You know I always ask for your creations and comments. Let me hear them! Let me see them!

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

S'Mores Babka

I love a challenge. This recipe came out of challenge to come up with a different way of eating s'mores/ It is a moist bread with everything you love about a s'more.

Course: Endings

Cuisine: Jewish

Servings: 0

Ingredients

Babka Dough

• 1/2 cup Warm whole milk, 105-1110°
• 1 pkg. Active Dry Yeast
• 1 generous pinch Sugar
• 4-1/2 cups All-purpose flour 4 cups then 2, 1/4 cups
• 1/3 cup Granulated white sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. Fine sea salt
• 1 tso. Pure vanilla extract
• 4 large Eggs
• 10 Tbs. Unsalted butter, cut into individual Tbs.

Filling

• 8 squares Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Fudge Caramel Squares
• 1 Tbs. Coconut Oil
• 1/4 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1/2 cup Miniature Marshmallows

Streusel

• 1/4 cup Brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 2 Tbs. Diced and chilled unsalted butter

Instructions

Babka Dough:

• Warm your milk and sprinkle yeast and a generous pinch of sugar into the milk.

  Let sit 8-10 minutes. It should be foamy and thick.

  If you don't see that foam and thickness your yeast may be out of date. You will have to start over. Always be sure to check your temperature with a food thermometer.
• In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, fitted with a dough hook, whisk together Sugar, 4 cups flour and sea salt.

  On low, add in the yeast mixture, vanilla and then eggs, one at a time.

  Let this mix until a soft dough ball starts to form.

  Weather is a big factor, if dough is too wet, add 1 tbs. of flour at a time to get a soft not sticky dough. Do not add too much flour here.
• While still mixing, on low, add 5 Tbs. of butter, one at a time. Continue beating, about 5 minutes until smooth.

  Add in 1/4 cup of flour. You are building your gluten and want it to look stretchy.

  Add remainng 5 tbs. butter, one at a time. Then add last 1/4 cup of flour.
• Rub a clean bowl, lightly, with oil and put the dough in. Lightly coat the ball with a smidge of oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place.

  I like to heat my oven to 100° then turn it off and rise in there.

  Let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled. It may not double but should be spongy.
• You can make your filling while the dough is rising.Let everything sit at room temperature unti ready to use. Melt your chocolate and coconut oil a few minutes before use. you want it to be warm but not hot.

Filling:

• Melt chocolate squares over a double boiler. A microwave is not great with these chocolates, becasue of the caramel. It can seize and become hard.

  If not aleady done, crush your graham crackers.

Streusel:

• In a small bowl, blend togethe, I like fingers for this, the brown sugar, graham crakers and cold butter.

  Put back in fridge until ready to use.

Assembly:

• Butter or oil 2 loaf pans and line them with parchment paper. Be sure to leave an ample overhang. You will need the "handles".
• Divide dough in half and set one aside.

  Turn half the dough out on to a lightly floured board or floured parchment paper.

  Roll dough into a 9x17 rectangle, or close to it.
• Spread the chocolate, edge to edge.

  Dust the chocolate with the graham crackers then the mini marshmallows.

  Starting on the long side of the rectangle, tightly roll into a jellyroll (log). The tighter the better, for more layers.

  Wrap roll in parchemnt paper and put in refrigerator while repeating the process on the second roll.

  Let both rolls chill in fridge fro 30-45 minutes.
• Remove one piece of dough from fridge and place on a lightly floured board, seam side down and cut in half lengthwise, exposing inside layers.

  Twist halves together keeping the layers facing up. Tuck ends under and place in prepared loaf pan. Repeat with other loaf.

  Cover with plastic and let rise again for another hour.

  Preheat oven to 350°
• Once loaves are done rising and oven is preheated, sprinkle streusel over the top of both loaves.

  Bake loaves fro 30-40 minutes. Tester should come out with just a few crumbs. If streusel gets too dark, cover with foil.

  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then cool on rack until completely cooled.
• For service sprinkle additional minimarshmallows over top. If you have a kitchen torch you can lightly toast the marshmallows.

Notes

Once you get the hang of the process, you can experiment with different fillings and vary the streusel.