Step by step with Israel's experts: The perfect chocolate yeast cake
How to make chocolate-filledyeast cake step by step, including tips and an easy recipe that always works.
By IN COLLABORATION WITH SUGAT Homemade yeast cake with chocolate filling(photo credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)
Pound cakes have long been a staple for most home bakers, but when it comes to yeast cakes, hesitation often sets in, and even baking enthusiasts shy away from making them.
Bakers Uri Scheft and Rinat Zadok provide a foolproof recipe for an easy-to-make yeast cake with a perfect chocolate filling, while pastry chef Hila Biderman offers tips for a smooth and successful preparation.
Sifting the Flour
Sifting flour serves two purposes: aesthetically, to filter out unwanted debris, and functionally, to aerate it, making it less dense. Zadok recommends sifting twice.
Pour the milk into the mixing bowl and crumble the yeast into it (credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)Proper Work with Yeast
If you're making a yeast cake at home, it's best not to compromise—use fresh yeast instead of dry. Zadok explains that dry yeast has a stronger smell and taste, which can give the dough an overpowering yeast aroma.
Yeast is a living organism, and it's important to keep this in mind when working with it. Fat, salt, and excessive heat are its enemies—each can harm the yeast and, consequently, the perfect cake. Zadok emphasizes that mixing yeast with milk is more effective than mixing it with flour because it ensures that incompatible ingredients don’t come into direct contact.
Always "activate" the yeast with liquid. Pastry chef Hila Biderman recommends whisking milk with crumbled yeast to "open" it and kickstart its activity.
According to Biderman, it's always better to replace the liquid in the recipe with milk. Milk is richer than water and enhances both the yeast and the dough. The glucose in milk is the perfect match for yeast since sugar is its "food."
This recipe is based on fresh yeast, but if using dry yeast or yeast granules (Shamrit), mix them with the flour instead.
Add the flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to the mixing bowl in that order (credit: ILLUSTRATION, Walla System)Adding Ingredients to the Mixing Bowl in the Right Order
Add the ingredients to the mixing bowl in the following order: flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
Salt can harm yeast, so the order of ingredient addition is crucial. The goal is to prevent direct contact between the yeast and salt. Salt should only be added to the flour after the mixer has been running for a while and the dough has started forming. Use the dough hook to knead at a low speed, adding each ingredient one at a time.
Knead at a low speed to properly combine all ingredients and prevent the flour from scattering. Zadok advises applying this rule to all recipes: any addition of ingredients while using a mixer should be done at low speed.Salt raises the dough's temperature. Biderman explains that it’s important to monitor the dough’s temperature and ensure it doesn’t get too warm. If yeast overheats, it stops cooperating with the gluten in the dough, causing the dough to "lock up" and stop rising.After 3-4 Minutes of Slow Kneading, Add the Soft Butter
It is important that the butter is soft and at room temperature (credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)Once the dough is homogeneous and uniform, and the key ingredients have been fully incorporated, add the butter, increase to medium speed, and knead for another two minutes.
Like salt, fat is another major enemy of yeast. It coats and weakens it, so butter should always be added at the end of kneading.The butter must be soft and at room temperature. Using cold butter will create chunks in the dough, leading to holes and leaks. The goal, Zadok emphasizes, is for the butter to be fully absorbed, leaving the dough smooth and shiny.At this stage, the dough should form a ball around the mixer's dough hook. If the dough is still too soft and doesn't pull away from the bowl, add a little flour and knead at low speed. The goal is a soft yet stable dough.
When making any dough, kneading creates gluten networks. These networks give the dough its flexibility and elasticity. Insufficient kneading will result in a crumbly, non-uniform dough after baking. For yeast cakes, these networks are essential—elastic dough is key.
When the dough is soft but can be kneaded by hand, it is perfect (credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)Shape the Dough into a Square, Wrap It, and Refrigerate Overnight
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, flatten it into a square, place it on a tray, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Flattening the dough slightly into a square ensures easier handling after chilling. The plastic wrap prevents moisture loss, keeping the dough from drying out and forming a crust.
The dough should be placed on a flat surface, not a wire rack, to ensure even rising overnight in the refrigerator.A long, cold rise overnight significantly improves the dough's success rate. First, the dough rises more evenly. Second, the long fermentation enhances its flavor, creating a deeper taste. Finally, cold yeast dough is much easier to roll and work with. Chilled dough maintains an even temperature and won’t become too warm and sticky while handling.Rolling and Filling the Dough
On the way to becoming a cake (credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)Divide the dough square into two equal parts. Roll each piece into a 35x25 cm rectangle, about ½ cm thick. For better results, refrigerate the rolled-out dough for another 10-15 minutes.
Spread the chocolate filling over each rectangle, leaving a 1 cm border clean. The filling should also be chilled and at the same temperature as the dough. Roll tightly from the wide side and place the seam side up.
If the roll gets too warm and soft, chill it before continuing.Using a serrated knife, slice along the seam and cut the roll in half lengthwise. Twist the two dough strips so the cut sides face up, showing the layers of dough and chocolate. Cross them into an "X" shape and twist them into a spiral.
Transfer the spiral to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
Starting to roll (credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)Final Rise and Baking – No Convection Mode
Cover the loaf pan with a damp towel and let the cake rise until it nearly doubles in volume—about a 70-80% increase, depending on room temperature and season. This takes about 30-40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F).
The damp towel prevents the dough from drying out. When left uncovered, the dough forms a crust that hinders rising and results in less browning during baking. To prevent the dough from sticking to the towel, elevate the towel using two tall glasses placed on either side of the pan.Brush the cake with a beaten egg mixed with a little milk and place it in the hot oven. Throw 4-5 ice cubes into a pan at the oven’s bottom and bake for about 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
Avoid baking with convection mode (fan). The air circulation can be too harsh for the delicate yeast, potentially affecting the rise.The ice cubes create steam at the start of baking, preventing the cake from drying out. Steam is only needed at the beginning.For the first 17-20 minutes of baking, do not open the oven. A sudden drop in temperature can disrupt the cake's initial rise, causing it to collapse.Bake at a relatively low temperature (170-180°C/338-356°F) for even baking. Start braiding the dough (credit: NIMROD SAUNDERS)
Recipe by: Uri Scheft and Rinat Zadok, Walla! Food
40 minutes preparation
5 hours total time
Easy to make
Yields 2 loaf cakes
Ingredients for the Recipe
For the dough:
550g sifted flour (4 cups minus 1 tablespoon)
25g fresh yeast (1/2 cube)
100g sugar (1/2 cup)
120g soft butter
2 eggs
150ml milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
100g milk chocolate
100g dark chocolate
150g butter
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons brandy
For the sugar syrup:
150ml water
150g sugar (3/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brandy or rum
Instructions - How to make Uri Scheft’s Yeast Cake?
1. Prepare the dough: Pour the milk into the mixing bowl with a dough hook and crumble the yeast into it. Add the flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Knead for 3-4 minutes on low speed.
2. Add the soft butter, increase the speed, and knead for another 2 minutes.
3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured bowl or pan, flatten it, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Do not form a ball with the dough, but rather flatten it into a square to make rolling easier. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight before making the cake).
4. Prepare the cream: In a bowl over a hot water bath, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Add the butter and stir until it is fully absorbed, resulting in a smooth chocolate cream.
5. Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, and add them to the chocolate mixture. Add the egg and brandy, and mix well.
6. Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into two equal parts. Lightly flour the work surface and roll each part into a rectangle 3.5mm thick.
7. Spread a layer of chocolate cream on the rolled-out dough and roll it up. Cut the roll in half and twist the halves into a spiral shape, placing them one on top of the other. Roll each part into a log. Place them in a pan.
8. Let the dough rise for 35-40 minutes until it doubles in size.
9. Preheat the oven to 185°C. Place the cakes in the oven, reduce the temperature to 170°C, and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup: Boil water and sugar in a pot until it starts to bubble. Let it cool slightly. When the cake comes out of the oven, brush it with the sugar syrup.
