Chocolate Babka

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
• •Two 9x5-inch loaf pans
• •Rolling pin
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Pastry brush
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Whisk the eggs with the warm milk and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix on low speed until a shaggy mass forms. This takes about 2 minutes. The dough will look rough and unpromising. It should.

   Instant yeast can be mixed directly with flour. Active dry yeast needs to bloom in the milk first for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. 2

   Incorporate the butter

   Increase mixer speed to medium and add the softened butter one piece at a time, waiting until each piece disappears before adding the next. This takes 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will look like a disaster, then suddenly transform into a smooth, elastic, slightly tacky ball that pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Keep mixing until it passes the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing.

3. 3

   First rise

   Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours. The dough should feel pillowy and spring back slowly when poked. Punch it down gently, re-cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Cold dough is essential for handling.

   The overnight rest develops flavor and makes the butter-rich dough manageable. Do not skip this step.
4. 4

   Make the chocolate filling

   Melt the butter for the filling in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until completely smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. The mixture should be glossy and spreadable, like thick frosting. If it seizes or looks grainy, add a tablespoon of warm water and stir vigorously. Let cool to room temperature before using.

5. 5

   Prepare the pans

   Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans thoroughly, getting into every corner. Line the bottom and two long sides with a single strip of parchment paper, leaving 2-inch overhangs on each side. These handles will save you when unmolding. Butter the parchment as well.

6. 6

   Roll and fill the dough

   Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time (keep the other refrigerated), roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle approximately 12 by 16 inches. The dough should be about ¼ inch thick. Spread half the chocolate filling evenly over the surface, leaving a ½-inch border along one long edge. Roll the dough into a tight log starting from the filled long edge, ending with the seam on the bottom.

7. 7

   Shape the babka

   Using a sharp knife, slice the log in half lengthwise, exposing all those beautiful chocolate layers. You now have two long strands with their cut sides facing up. Cross one strand over the other to form an X at the center. Twist the strands together, keeping the cut sides facing up as much as possible so the layers remain visible. Gently transfer the twisted loaf into the prepared pan, tucking the ends under if needed. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

   Work confidently when twisting. The dough is forgiving. Messy twists still bake into gorgeous loaves.
8. 8

   Second rise

   Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. This takes 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on your kitchen temperature. The loaves should look puffy and jiggle slightly when the pan is nudged. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third.

9. 9

   Bake the babka

   Brush the tops of each loaf gently with egg wash, taking care not to deflate the risen dough. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are deeply golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 185°F. The chocolate makes judging doneness by color difficult, so trust your thermometer. If the tops are browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes.

10. 10

    Make the simple syrup

    While the babka bakes, combine the sugar and water for the syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. The syrup should be warm but not hot when youuse it.

11. 11

    Glaze and cool

    As soon as the babka emerges from the oven, brush the tops generously with the warm simple syrup. Use all of it. The loaves will absorb more than you expect, and this syrup keeps the crumb moist for days. Let the babka cool in their pans for 20 minutes, then use the parchment handles to lift them onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour. I know this is difficult. The wait is worth it.

Chef Tips

• •Bittersweet chocolate between 60% and 70% cacao produces the best filling. Anything higher becomes too intense and can make the filling grainy. Semisweet works if you prefer less bitterness.
• •Weighing your flour matters enormously in enriched doughs. A cup of flour can vary by 30 grams depending on how you scoop it. Invest in a kitchen scale and never look back.
• •The loaves freeze beautifully. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature and refresh in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
• •Day-old babka makes extraordinary French toast. Slice thick, soak briefly in custard, and cook slowly in butter. The chocolate becomes molten again.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough must be refrigerated for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours before shaping. This is not optional.
• •Chocolate filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and stir until spreadable before using.
• •Fully baked and cooled babka keeps well wrapped at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 105g)