Chocolate Babka

Rippled with thick, rich dark chocolate, this Eastern European sweet bread is delicious served for brunch.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamPublished: 03 April 2017

Good Housekeeping

Perfect for breakfast, brunch or with an afternoon coffee, Babka is a Polish and Ukrainian Jewish recipe that is a cross between cake and bread, a bit like a brioche.

Babka can be filled with a variety of fillings - chocolate, spices, nuts or even savoury versions with cheese. Ours uses indulgent chocolate and warming cinnamon.

The classic rippling of a babka is made in the rolling, cutting and twisting processes. It sounds complicated, but is easy once you know how. First the dough is flattened and topped with the filling. It is then rolled up into a sausage shape (like a chelsea bun or cinnamon roll). However, instead of being cut into rounds, the roll is then split lengthways, and the stripy cut sides are turned so they face outwards. The long pieces of dough are then twisted together to make a beautifully striated pattern.

Babka is usually baked in a loaf tin, however, if you don’t have one, you cake bake it freeform on a baking tray.

You can also try making individual babka rolls too - cut the rolled-up dough lengthwise into narrow long strips, then twist and coil the strips into buns.

Sugar syrup gives the babka its signature sticky texture. Make sure to allow the sugar to completely dissolve in the water over a low heat before bringing to the boil to avoid the syrup crystallising.

Make sure to brush the hot syrup over the hot bread - this allows it to be absorbed more easily and evenly.

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Yields:

Prep Time:

55 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 5 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs

Cal/Serv:

427

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH

100 ml
(3 ½ fl oz) milk
350 g
(12oz) strong white bread flour
50 g
(2oz) caster sugar
7 g
sachet fast-action dried yeast
1
large egg, lightly beaten
100 g
(3 ½oz) butter, softened and chopped into small pieces, plus extra to grease

FOR THE FILLING

75 g
(3oz) unsalted butter
75 g
(3oz) dark chocolate
150 g
(5oz) caster sugar
25 g
(1oz) cocoa powder
1 tsp.
ground cinnamon

FOR THE SYRUP

75 g
(3oz) caster sugar

Directions

1. Step 1
  Heat milk in a small saucepan until just warm. In a large bowl (or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook) mix flour, sugar, yeast and a pinch of salt. Add the milk, egg and butter, and mix to bring together into a dough, adding another 1tbsp milk if looking a little dry. Shape into a ball, then knead by hand for about 15min (or about 6min in a stand mixer) until you have a soft dough that springs back when pressed. Return to the cleaned-out bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave to prove for 2hr until about doubled in size (or leave at room temperature for 1hr, then transfer to the fridge overnight and complete recipe the following day).
2. Step 2
  If dough was kept in the fridge overnight, set aside at room temperature while you make the filling. Grease a
  900g (2lb) loaf tin with butter and line base and sides with baking parchment, leaving an overhang to help get
  bread out of the tin later.
3. Step 3
  To make the filling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, stir in the chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Set aside to cool briefly.
4. Step 4
  Place dough on to a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 50 x 30.5cm (20 x 12in). Spread the filling over the dough, covering it completely. Roll up tightly from one of the longer sides into a sausage shape. Carefully lift dough on to a piece of baking parchment and chill in the fridge for 15min (to make it easier to cut).
5. Step 5
  When chilled, cut the dough in half lengthways 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 loaf tin (it will seem too big but it will fit!) Loosely cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to prove in a
  warm place for 1½-2hr or until doubled in size.
6. Step 6
  Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Bake loaf for about 50min-1hr until deep golden, loosely covering with foil towards the end of cooking time if it is getting too dark. When babka
  is almost cooked, make the syrup. In a small pan, gently heat sugar and 75ml (3fl oz) water and stir until dissolved. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Remove loaf from oven, brush sugar syrup all over the top to soak in. Leave to cool completely in the tin before serving.