Chocolate Babka
The Polish-Jewish chocolate babka: a buttery brioche dough rolled around dark chocolate, twisted into a loaf so each slice shows a swirl.
Overview
A rich enriched dough is mixed and kneaded; first rise overnight in the fridge for the best flavour and easier handling. The next day, the cold dough rolls into a wide rectangle; chocolate filling spreads thick to the edges; rolls into a tight log. The log is sliced lengthwise, twisted into a braid (cut sides facing up to expose the chocolate), tucked into a loaf tin and proofed. Bakes; brushes with sugar syrup hot from the oven.
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g strong white bread flour (plus more for rolling)
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 sachet (7 g) fast-action yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs (large)
- 100 ml whole milk (lukewarm)
- 150 g unsalted butter (very soft, cubed)
Chocolate filling
- 200 g dark chocolate (70%, chopped)
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 80 g icing sugar (sifted)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sifted)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sugar syrup
- 100 g caster sugar
- 100 ml water
Method
Stage 1 - Dough (the day before, ideally)
- Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a stand mixer bowl.
- Add the eggs and milk; mix on low with a dough hook 3 minutes until shaggy.
- With the mixer running, add the soft butter a cube at a time, allowing each to incorporate before the next.
- Once all the butter is in, knead 8-10 minutes more until smooth, elastic and pulling cleanly from the bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (or 4-6 hours minimum).
Stage 2 - Filling
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over barely-simmering water.
- Whisk in the icing sugar, cocoa and cinnamon until smooth.
- Cool to room temperature - it should be spreadable, not runny. If it sets too firm, soften gently.
Stage 3 - Roll and fill
- Tip the cold dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll into a 50 x 30 cm rectangle.
- Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1 cm border on the long edges.
Stage 4 - Roll and shape
- Roll up tightly from one long edge into a long sausage; pinch the seam closed.
- Place seam-side down; with a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise - cutting it in half so the cut sides expose the chocolate spiral.
- Holding both halves cut-side up, twist them around each other into a 2-strand braid (like a rope).
- Pinch the ends to seal.
- Lift carefully into a buttered, parchment-lined 23 cm loaf tin.
Stage 5 - Second rise
- Cover loosely; rise 60-90 minutes at room temperature, until almost doubled and the dough springs back slowly when pressed.
Stage 6 - Bake
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Bake 40-45 minutes until deep golden and a skewer in the centre comes out without raw dough (chocolate streaks are fine).
- If the top browns too fast, cover loosely with foil at 30 minutes.
Stage 7 - Sugar syrup
- While baking, simmer the sugar and water 3 minutes; cool slightly.
- As the babka comes out of the oven, brush the syrup all over the top - it'll soak in and gloss the surface.
Stage 8 - Cool and slice
- Cool 30 minutes in the tin; lift out using parchment.
- Cool fully before slicing - warm babka tears.
Notes
- Cold dough is essential: Refrigerated overnight, the dough is firm enough to roll thin and twist neatly. Room-temperature dough tears and won't hold the spiral.
- Don't be shy with filling: Thin filling means thin streaks and a less interesting slice. Spread thickly and right to the edges.
- Sugar syrup: Skip and the babka tastes flat and looks dull. The hot brush is what finishes the bread.
Storage
- Keeps 3 days at room temperature wrapped tightly; the chocolate softens slightly on day 2.
- Freezes 2 months whole or sliced.
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