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Chocolate Babka

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A simple, rich chocolate babka you can make at home, featuring soft, buttery dough filled with chocolate ribbons.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ¾ cups (480g) all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
  • 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, lukewarm
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup (50g) cocoa powder
  • ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
  • 4 oz (115g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (60% cocoa or higher)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg (for egg wash)
  • Optional: powdered sugar, toasted hazelnuts, or glaze for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm the milk until just lukewarm, then sprinkle the active dry yeast over it. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and yeast mixture. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
  4. While the dough rises, melt the butter. Mix in cocoa powder, sugar, melted dark chocolate, and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it into a 12 by 16 inch rectangle. Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the dough.
  6. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log lengthwise and twist the two strands, keeping cut layers facing upward.
  7. Place the twisted loaf in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  8. Brush the top with beaten egg wash. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
  9. Let cool completely in the pan before slicing.

Notes

For best results, let the babka cool fully before cutting to maintain filling consistency.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://voxrecipes.com/best-chocolate-babka/