I joined a baking challenge on Instagram a few weeks ago and one of the themes was chocolate. When I saw the theme, I knew I had to make this bread. I mean how does it get any better than this? It’s a combination of my two favorite things: chocolate and bread.
This chocolate babka (pronounce bob-ka) not only looks amazing, but it tastes delicious too! The chocolate swirls and sugary syrup that glazes it, bring it over the top. It’s really a win-win! It’s also surprisingly a lot easier to make than it looks and everyone will be impressed by your beautiful masterpiece.
To begin, mix together your yeast, milk, and sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer (or you can always make it without a mixer using a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon). Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof, or grow.
Mix in the salt, eggs, yolk, vanilla and flour. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl while kneading. Sprinkle in flour as needed until the dough is tacky but not too sticky. Knead in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until the butter is fully incorporated into the dough. Add additional flour as needed. The dough will be sticky.
Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Push down the dough and chill, covered, in the fridge for 45 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, make the filling by beating together the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and milk, if needed. Also, chop the chocolate bar into fine pieces.
Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle about 20 inches long. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving about a 1 inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate pieces over the filling and roll the dough cinnamon roll style.
Cut the dough in half to create approximately 2, 10″ tubes. Wrap the tubes in saran wrap and freeze them for about 10 minutes.
Using a sharp serrated knife or kitchen shears, cut each dough tube in half lengthwise to expose the interior chocolate filling.
Twist each dough tube about 3-4 times.
Then twist two dough sections together and place in a greased loaf pan.
Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Cover the dough with an aluminum foil tent and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F. Watch the dough carefully as it will burn easily and each oven cooks differently.
While it’s baking, make the sugar syrup by boiling together the sugar and water. Allow it to boil for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and brush onto the baked loaves. Allow the babka to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Chocolate Babka
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- 3/4 cup warmed milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups flour plus or minus
- 10 Tbsp butter soft,room temperature
Chocolate Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 4 oz dark chocolate bar chopped
Sugar Syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
YIELDS 2 LOAVES
Instructions
- Warm milk in the microwave for 1 minute on high heat. In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the yeast, milk, and sugar (or if you are making by hand, use a large mixing bowl). Allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.
- Add the salt, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and flour (1/2 cup at a time) and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is tacky and not too sticky.
- While kneading, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time until it is fully incorporated into the dough. The dough should be fairly sticky.
- Cover the dough and allow it to rise 1 1/2-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size. Push the dough down, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, make the filling by beating together the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. If the filling is too thick, thin it down by adding milk, as needed, to make a spreadable paste.
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle about 20 inches long. Spread the chocolate filling on the dough leaving about a 1 inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate bar on top of the filling.
- Roll the dough lengthwise like a cinnamon roll and divide the dough in half, creating 2 approximately 10" tubes. Cover the dough tubes with saran wrap and freeze for about 10 minutes.
- Cut each tube lengthwise to expose the chocolate filling. Twist each piece about 3-4 times lengthwise then twist 2 pieces together to form the babka and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover and allow the dough to rise again for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Create an aluminum foil tent over each loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 185 degrees F. Watch closely as it will burn easily.
- While it is baking, create the sugar syrup by mixing together the sugar and water in a pot over the stove. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Allow it to boil for about 3-5 minutes, continuing to stir frequently. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Brush the syrup onto the baked loaves and allow them to cool, in the pan, for 30 minutes. Remove them from the pan onto a wire rack to cool fully. Slice and enjoy!
