The Ultimate Chocolate Babka – Rich, Swirled Perfection!

• ## Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   In a bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast and warmed milk. Add just a teaspoon or so of sugar to help with the proofing process. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the rest of the sugar, eggs, flour, and salt, and knead for a few minutes on low speed until the dough has formed. It will not be smooth at this point. I prefer to do this step for 5 minutes as this is one of your best opportunities to knead the dough well and start gluten development before all the butter is added, which will inhibit that development.

3. 3

   On medium speed, begin adding butter one tablespoon (15ml) at a time, waiting until it's incorporated before adding the next piece. Be sure to stop your mixer once in a while to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is well incorporated. When all the butter is added, continue kneading the dough for about 5–10 minutes until very smooth. The dough will not look very workable at this point—it will seem more like a custard. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap loosely and a damp towel, and allow the dough to rise for 1½ hours in a warm place.

4. 4

   After the dough has doubled in size, roughly 90 minutes, transfer it to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and ideally overnight.

5. 5

   For the filling: melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate (85g) and sugar; allow to sit undisturbed for one minute. Then stir with a spatula until a nice thick chocolate sauce forms. Stir in the cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to cool. It should be almost room temperature but still spreadable before proceeding to the next step.

6. 6

   Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle and then roll it out into an 18x12 inch (46x30cm) rectangle. Spread the filling across the entire surface, except ½ inch (1cm) of the long side of the rectangle. Sprinkle 2 ounces (57g) of chopped chocolate (or ⅓ cup/80ml chocolate chips) and other additions, if using. Roll the dough into a log starting with the long side into an 18 inch (46cm) log. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes. Without refrigeration, the next step will get quite messy. NOTE: do this step quickly. This dough is very much butter-based, so it will start melting and sticking. Have everything ready and work quickly! Prepare the pan (10x5 inch/25x13cm loaf pan) by lining it with parchment paper with the sides overhanging for easier removal later.

7. 7

   Slice the log down the middle lengthwise. Prop it so that the sliced sides are facing upwards. Braid it and place it into a greased 10x5 inch (25x13cm) loaf pan. Gently press it down to distribute the babka evenly. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and a piece of plastic wrap. Allow to rise until almost doubled in size for about two hours. Please note: if you left your dough in the fridge longer than 30 minutes in the prior step, your rising time may need to increase. (The babka in the pictures was left for 4 hours in the fridge, and I had to let it rise 2.5–3 hours on the counter before baking.)

8. 8

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). When the babka finishes rising, bake it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325°F (160°C), rotate your babka 180 degrees, and continue baking for another 20 minutes or so until the internal temperature reaches 185–190°F (85–88°C), closer to 190°F (88°C) ideally, measured with an instant-read digital thermometer in the middle of the babka. The babka will be golden and sound hollow when tapped.

9. 9

   While your babka is baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine ⅓ cup sugar and ⅓ cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Once the babka comes out of the oven, brush the warm syrup generously over the top, allowing it to soak in. Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

10. 10

    When finished baking, allow to cool completely before removing from the loaf pan and slicing.