I had a huge stash of Seed + Mill halva in my fridge when I came across Erin Clarkson's recipe for Dark Chocolate, Tahini, and Halva Brioche Babka -- which Erin says resulted from a day of baking with Seed + Mill's founder. My babka-shaping game still needs work, but I know I'll get better with more practice.
The recipe makes two loaves. You make the dough in a stand mixer by mixing flour, sugar, and salt; adding eggs, vanilla, and yeast that has been proofed in warm milk with sugar; mix until the dough comes together; knead until smooth and elastic; gradually incorporate softened butter; and mix until soft and smooth. I put the dough in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight.
The next day I rolled out the dough into a large rectangle and spread on a mixture of melted dark chocolate, tahini, and salt that I had made the night before so that it had time to firm up. Then I sprinkled on crumbled sesame halva; rolled up the dough into a log with the filling and halva inside; cut the dough in half to create two shorter logs; cut each log in half lengthwise to create two strands with the filling exposed inside; and twisted each set of strands to form a loaf that I put into a parchment-lined pan. I let the shaped loves rise, brushed them with egg wash, and baked them until their internal temperature reached 200 degrees F.
I love a shiny babka, so I also brushed the loaves with simple syrup while they were still warm from the oven. Although my babkas could have been a bit neater, I was happy with the way they looked and delighted with the way they tasted. The sesame flavor of the tahini and halva were at the forefront, and the distinct grainy texture of the halva was still evident in the final product because the chunks of halva remained intact. The chocolate was a good addition, and I'm glad it didn't drown out the sesame.
This babka was exactly what I expected from the recipe name -- but there's nothing wrong with not being surprised. This recipe definitely showcases the flavors and textures of tahini and halva, so if you've been saving your high-quality sesame products for a special baking project, this recipe would be a deserving choice.
Recipe: "Dark Chocolate, Tahini, and Halva Brioche Babka" from Erin Clarkson of Cloudy Kitchen.
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