The Best Chocolate Babka Recipe

unsalted butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil provides a dairy-free option with similar moisture.

chocolate

🥗Healthier: dark chocolate

💰Cheaper: chocolate chips

Dark chocolate has less sugar and can enhance flavor.

Make the dough: in a large bowl or in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, place flour, sugar and instant yeast, stir. Add milk, eggs, salt and mix on low speed until combined.

Add butter, one cube at the time, while mixing until incorporated. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in the fridge, overnight.

Make the filling: In a large heatproof bowl place chopped chocolate, butter, cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), melt, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly.

Grease two 9x4 inch (23x10 cm) loaf pans with oil and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Divide dough in half, while working with one portion, keep the second, covered in the fridge.

Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 15x10 inches (38x25 cm). Spread half of the chocolate mixture over the rectangle, leaving a ¾ inch (1/2 cm) border all around. Roll up tightly from one of the longer sides into a sausage shape. If at this point the dough is too soft, refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise, so you have two long pieces with the inside exposed. Turn each piece so filling faces upwards. Starting from one end, lift one piece across the other, twisting together but keeping the filling exposed, to make one long twisted braid. Push ends of the twist together to make the length shorter, then squeeze the dough into the prepared loaf pan.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a wet tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, puffy. Repeat with the second part of dough.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

While babka is baking make the syrup: in a small sauce pan heat sugar and water. Cook until sugar is dissolves.

Remove the cakes from oven and immediately brush with the syrup. Allow to cool before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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Dietary

Allergens