Chocolate Babka
Swirls of buttery and creamy chocolate and a crunchy chocolate streusel topping, transform this enriched bread dough into a delicious chocolate bread! The authentic leavened Jewish sweet bread of Poland and Ukraine is popular in modern day Israel, known as “yeast cake”.
Chocolate Babka
For the Dough:
½ cup whole milk
1 package (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
⅓ cup granulated sugar
4¼ cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
10 tablespoons butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) at room temperature
For the Chocolate Ganache Filling
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 60% recommended, coarsely chopped
8 tablespoons (stick unsalted butter) diced then softened to room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Streusel
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
For the Syrup
2/3 cups water
2/3 cups sugar
-Prepare the dough: In a small saucepan or a bowl in the microwave, warm the milk until it’s lukewarm but not hot (about 110 degrees). Pour milk into an electric mixer, then add yeast and a pinch of sugar, Mix briefly then let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly foamy, to activate yeast. (You can mix the bread by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, if preferred)
-In the electric mixer where your yeast mixture is rising, or in a food processor, add the flour, ⅓ cup sugar, salt, vanilla extract and the nutmeg. Add the eggs then beat together on medium speed with the whip for 2 -3 minutes to allow the ingredients to combine. The dough should come together in a soft mass. If the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add a bit more flour, 1/4 cup at a time until it starts to pull away form the sides of the bowl.
-Change to the dough hook and half the butter and beat or pulse until the dough is smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Beat in the rest of the butter and continue to beat or pulse until the dough is smooth and stretchy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, another 5 to 7 minutes.
-Prepare a medium sized bowl by greasing well with soft butter. Form the dough into a ball and roll it around in the bowl to grease all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place until if puffs and rises, about 1 1/2 hours. (If your oven has a bread-proofing function, you can use that.)
-Knead the dough gently a few times, then return to the bowl and re-cover it. Place in the refrigerator overnight, or up to at least 4 hours, which helps the best flavors develop.
-Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cream and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a medium sized bowl. Stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla until smooth, continuing until the chocolate is completely melted. Let cool to room temperature until the filing has thickened to the consistency of a pudding. (about 2 hours). Filling can be made up to a week ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before using.
-Prepare the streusel: In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in melted butter and vanilla extract until they are evenly distributed. Mix in the chocolate chips. Let stand about 30 minutes or until completely cool. Break up mixture into small clumps and crumbs.
-Prepare the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and ⅔ cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
-To Assemble the Babka: Butter two 9-inch loaf pans, then line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of paper hanging over each long edge of the pan, to make it easier to remove the bread after baking.
-Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll one half of the dough into a thick snake with your hands, about 8 inches long, Then using a rolling pin, roll the snake out to a 9-by-17 inch rectangle. Spread evenly with half the chocolate filling. Starting with one long edge, roll into a tight coil, up and over the filling. Transfer the rolled dough to a plate or dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Repeat with the other half of dough.
-Slice one of the dough rolls in half lengthwise down the center. Pinch the two long pieces together firmly at one short end. Braid the two halves together down the entire length then pinch that end together as well. Fold the dough in half so it’s about 8 - 9 inches long. Place into one of the prepared pans, curling the short edges under on the ends if necessary to make it fit. Try to turn the chocolate sides of the bread lengths facing up as you braid. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for another 1 to 1½ hours, until puffy. If preferred, you can cover the pans with plastic wrap and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight; bring them back to room temperature for an hour before baking.
-Heat the oven to 350 degrees when ready to bake. Scatter half of the chocolate streusel over the top of each loaf. Transfer both pans to the oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer will read between 185 and 210 degrees.
-As soon as the loaves come out of the oven, use a skewer or paring knife to pierce them all over piercing all the way to the bottom of the loaves, and then pour the syrup on top of the cakes, using half of the syrup for each loaf.
-Transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Makes 2 loaves.
Divide risen dough in half on a floured surface.
With your hands, roll each half of dough into a thick snake, about 8 inches long.
Using a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll each snake into about an 9 × 17 inch rectangle.
Combine chocolate filling ingredients and stir until butter and chocolate are completely melted. Let sit at room temperature until slightly thickened and cool.
Spread the chocolate filling over the rolled-out bread dough. Then roll the dough up and over filling, starting with one long edge to create a long roll.
Slice chocolate dough roll down the center, lengthwise to create two long halves.
Starting at one short end, braid two halves together, trying to keep the chocolate edges facing up. Pinch the ends firmly together and tuck under.
Butter 2 bread loaf pans lightly, then line with parchment paper, leaving an edge hanging over both long sides, for easier removal of baked bread.
Fold the braided bread in half over itself, so that the length (about 8 inches) just fits in the bread pan.
Mix chocolate streusel ingredients together and let cool. Crumble all over the top of the breads in the pans.
Remove the loaves from the oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. For easiest slicing, let bread cool completely.
A beautifully, tender, enriched bread swirled with chocolate and topped with more chocolate crumbs!
It’s a beauty so let your guests cut their own slice to reveal the enticing swirls of chocolate!
Please pass more bread (and chocolate)!
