Kokosh cake is best described as a flatter, richer version of babka. This version relies on chocolate spread to add richness and depth of flavor, so make sure to buy the best version you can. You can also make you own with our ultimate bittersweet chocolate halva spread.
We used RED STAR® Platinum Yeast™, to create a smooth, elastic, easy-to-work-with, reliable dough; crucial to the success of a yeast based cake.
Double Chocolate Kokosh Cake
Servings
3 Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ oz. packages RED STAR® Platinum Yeast™
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- Egg wash: 1 egg whisked with 2 teaspoons water
- 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder optional
Instructions
- Make the sponge: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together water, flour, RED STAR® Platinum Yeast™, and salt. Allow mixture to sit in a warm place for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. The surface should look bubbly and like a sponge!
- With a dough fitted to the mixer and the machine on low, add sugar, evoo, vanilla extract, eggs and yolks.
- Add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time until the dough is smooth and tacky but not too wet or sticky.
- Cover and allow dough to rest for 1 hour at room temp until it doubles in size. Alternatively, you can cover and allow it to slowly rise in the refrigerator overnight.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. (You can fit two kokosh cakes lengthwise onto one tray, just keep them a few inches apart.)
- Once dough doubles in size, punch down and divide into three.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll each part into a 10×14 (about) rectangle. Spoon ⅓ cup of chocolate spread over dough.
- Combine sugar, cocoa, coffee and salt and sprinkle ½-⅔ cups over each section of dough.
- Roll dough starting from the shorter side and pinch edges to seal. Use a rolling pin to slightly flatten the kokosh cake.
- Brush with egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown.
Interesting – I’ve never heard of this cake before. I’m curious about the flattening slighly of the dough. You let it rise and then flatten it? Strange….. How much are you supposed to flatten it? about how wide and long should it be before you bake it?
thank you