Babka Kebabs: Glorious Kebabka!

There is a deeply rooted belief here at CakeSpy that just about any food tastes better on a stick. I dare you to think of one that doesn't.

But as Rachel of Coconut & Lime recently lamented via twitter, while many desserts-on-a-stick are adorable and delicious, they can all too often be "too small to be satisfying". 

Happily, there is a food on a stick that will stick with you: delicious chunks of chocolate babka speared kebab style on a skewer--or, as I like to call it, kebabka.

Now, kebabka is not necessarily a cute food. It's not delicate, and it's not dainty. But it is rich, chocolatey, carbohydratey, and delicious--and when enjoyed several chunks at a time eaten directly off of a stick, it will not leave you hungry.

Here's how you do it.

Kebabka (based loosely on this recipe)

• For the babka
  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  
• 4 large egg yolks
  
• 1 (.25-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
  
• 1/4 cup warm water
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  

For the topping (I kind of cheated here)

• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 1 big bar of chocolate (the jumbo sized ones at the grocery store--I used Hershey's Special dark chocolate)
  
• Small amount of whipping cream, just for texture
  

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth.
   
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until creamy (I saved the egg whites for an egg wash later)
   
3. Mix the yeast in warm water with the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. When this mixture thickens, add it to the egg yolks along with the, milk, vanilla and salt.
   
4. Add the yeast mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well. Slowly add the flour until a soft dough is formed. 
   
5. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until dough is no longer sticky.
   
6. Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm place until it doubles.
   
7. When it's looking pretty big, you might want to prepare the filling. To do so, you could put your butter and chocolate (broken up) in a double boiler to melt it, or you could do as I did and microwave it at 10 second intervals until it is melted. Add a touch of heavy cream (if you feel like it; I did) and mix until fully incorporated.
   
8. At this point, I put the dough on a floured silicone pastry mat and rolled it flat and long. I cut it into about 15 separate little chunks.
   
9. Then I rolled out each little chunk of dough and poured some chocolate filling in each one, then made it into a little roll and put each one into a cupcake cup.
   
   
10. Allow these little loaves to rise again for about 2 hours.
    
11. At this point you can either pour some of the leftover topping on top of the risen dough mounds or just, you know, eat it with a spoon (oh so rich!). 
    
12. I used some of the leftover egg whites to lightly brush on top of each little loaf to ensure a pleasing golden tone.
    
    
13. Place in a preheated 350*F (150*C) oven for 30 minutes or until done. Let cool completely.
    
    
14. Once cool, cut into either halves, or fourths; spear as many chunks as you'd like on kebab skewers, and eat yourself some food on a stick. If desired, serve with whipped cream for dipping (it's good!)