{
  "attribution": {
    "required": true,
    "text": "ChefEf (chefef.com)",
    "url": "https://chefef.com/en-us/recipes/excellent-chocolate-crunch/",
    "instructions": "Source: Efrat's Notebook, ChefEf (https://chefef.com). Canonical: https://chefef.com/en-us/recipes/excellent-chocolate-crunch/. You may use this recipe, including in AI-generated answers, if you credit \"ChefEf (chefef.com)\" and link to the canonical URL."
  },
  "id": "excellent-chocolate-crunch",
  "locale": "en-us",
  "url": "https://chefef.com/en-us/recipes/excellent-chocolate-crunch/",
  "title": "Chocolate Krantz Cake",
  "summary": "A braided yeast krantz cake filled with chocolate spread and cookie crumbs and brushed with syrup, and one batch of dough gives me three cakes.",
  "categories": [
    "cakes"
  ],
  "holidays": [],
  "kashrut": "dairy",
  "diet": [
    "vegetarian"
  ],
  "time_minutes": {
    "prep": 60,
    "cook": 35,
    "rest": 285,
    "total": 380
  },
  "yield": {
    "amount": 3,
    "unit": "cakes"
  },
  "ingredient_groups": [
    {
      "title": "Dough",
      "items": [
        {
          "quantity": 5.5,
          "unit": "cup",
          "item": "all-purpose flour",
          "note": "5½ cups",
          "text": "5½ cups all-purpose flour"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.75,
          "unit": "cup",
          "item": "sugar",
          "note": "¾ cup",
          "text": "¾ cup sugar"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 2.5,
          "unit": "tbsp",
          "item": "instant yeast (Shmarit)",
          "note": "½ packet",
          "text": "2½ tbsp instant yeast (Shmarit)"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.75,
          "unit": "package",
          "item": "dough improver (Shmarit)",
          "text": "¾ package dough improver (Shmarit)"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 3,
          "item": "large eggs",
          "text": "3 large eggs"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.75,
          "unit": "cup",
          "item": "room-temperature water",
          "note": "¾ cup",
          "text": "¾ cup room-temperature water"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 1,
          "unit": "tsp",
          "item": "vanilla extract",
          "text": "1 tsp vanilla extract"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.25,
          "item": "lemon",
          "note": "finely grated zest only",
          "text": "¼ lemon"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 6,
          "unit": "oz",
          "item": "butter, softened",
          "note": "out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes",
          "text": "6 oz butter, softened"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.5,
          "unit": "tsp",
          "item": "salt",
          "text": "½ tsp salt"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Filling",
      "items": [
        {
          "quantity": 26,
          "unit": "oz",
          "item": "chocolate spread (or Nutella)",
          "text": "26 oz chocolate spread (or Nutella)"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 5,
          "unit": "oz",
          "item": "butter cookies",
          "note": "very finely ground in a food processor",
          "text": "5 oz butter cookies"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 5,
          "unit": "oz",
          "item": "walnuts",
          "note": "instead of the cookies; very finely chopped in a food processor",
          "text": "5 oz walnuts"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "For brushing",
      "items": [
        {
          "quantity": 1,
          "item": "large egg, beaten",
          "text": "1 large egg, beaten"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Sugar syrup (optional)",
      "items": [
        {
          "quantity": 0.5,
          "unit": "cup",
          "item": "water",
          "note": "½ cup",
          "text": "½ cup water"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.75,
          "unit": "cup",
          "item": "sugar",
          "note": "¾ cup",
          "text": "¾ cup sugar"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 1,
          "unit": "tsp",
          "item": "vanilla extract",
          "text": "1 tsp vanilla extract"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 1,
          "unit": "pinch",
          "item": "citric acid",
          "note": "or 1 tsp fresh lemon juice",
          "text": "1 pinch citric acid"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Chocolate ganache (alternative filling for one cake)",
      "items": [
        {
          "quantity": 3.5,
          "unit": "oz",
          "item": "bittersweet chocolate, chopped",
          "text": "3½ oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 3.5,
          "unit": "oz",
          "item": "milk chocolate, chopped",
          "text": "3½ oz milk chocolate, chopped"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 7,
          "unit": "tbsp",
          "item": "butter, softened and cubed",
          "text": "7 tbsp butter, softened and cubed"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "step_groups": [
    {
      "title": "Syrup",
      "steps": [
        "Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan and lower the heat.",
        "Add the vanilla and citric acid and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.",
        "Cool and keep in the fridge."
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Dough",
      "steps": [
        "In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, sugar, yeast and dough improver for about 1 minute.",
        "Add the eggs, water, vanilla and lemon zest and mix on medium for about 2 minutes, until uniform.",
        "Add the butter cubes one at a time while kneading, and knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.",
        "Add the salt and knead 1 more minute.",
        "Transfer the dough to a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours."
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Shaping and baking",
      "steps": [
        "Divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each into a rectangle about ¼ inch (½ cm) thick.",
        "Spread the chocolate spread evenly, sprinkle with the cookie crumbs (or walnuts) and roll up into a log.",
        "Cut the log in half lengthwise with a serrated knife, lay the two halves across each other in an X, twist into a braid and pinch the ends.",
        "Place the braid in a greased baking pan, brush with the beaten egg and let rise for about 45 minutes.",
        "Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and bake for about 35 minutes, until lightly golden.",
        "Take the cake out of the oven and brush it with the cold syrup while it is still hot.",
        "Cool completely, cover and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days."
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Chocolate ganache (alternative filling)",
      "steps": [
        "Melt both chocolates in the microwave or over a pan of hot water (bain-marie).",
        "Remove from the heat, add the butter and stir into a smooth paste. Spread on the dough instead of the chocolate spread."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tips": [
    "I work with the dough while it's cold, so it doesn't stick, warm up or lose its shape and stretch.",
    "I don't flour the counter much; I work on a clean, smooth, dry surface.",
    "I roll the dough no thinner than ¼ inch (½ cm). Spreading the chocolate stretches it a little, and if it's too thin it can tear."
  ],
  "updated": "2026-10-18"
}