How to make Chocolate Babka - Rich sweet bread with swirls of dark chocolate
Prep time: PT60M
Cook time: PT40M
Total time: PT100M
4.53 stars (69 reviews)
Chocolate Babka
- Add the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and cold butter in the bowl of a Stand Mixer / food processor/ Dough maker.
- Pulse till the butter disintegrates and mixes with the flour.(but you should see the specks)
- Now on low speed, using the dough hook, Add the eggs one by one.
- Trickle in the 3/4 cup of milk . The dough should start to come together now. Process for 1 minute. If it seems to dry add 1 tbsp of milk in increments till you get a soft dough.
- Take the dough out.
- Mix in the flour, yeast,sugar and salt in a large sturdy bowl.Add the cold cubed butter.
- Now pinch the butter with your index finger and thumb and mix it with the flour.Rub the butter in the flour till you don't have any big cubes of butter left but small clumps of it.
- Add the eggs and 3/4 cup milk. Start by mixing and wetting all the ingredients. Once the dough starts to come together , add more milk in 1 tbsp increments if the dough is dry or if it's too wet add more flour.
- Knead the dough well for about 10 minute. Stretch and fold..and Repeat.This is done to develop Gluten.If this step is omitted the bread will be chewy instead of pillowy.
- Use a large greased bowl for this step. It should be big enough to fit a triple amount of the dough.
- The quick way is to keep the kneaded bread in a bowl, covered with wet kitchen towel for 2-4 hours.
- The easier way is to keep the dough in a covered bowl(use cling film) in the fridge for 8-10 hours.
- If in the fridge,Take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Knead the dough for 2 minutes to make it pliable.Divide it into two halves.
- Make a Ball of the one halve and roll it into a rectangle.About 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread the butter in the rectangle by leaving 1 inch space.Sprinkle the chopped Chocolate.Roll it from the longer side to make a long log.
- Optional step : Keep it in the fridge for 10 minutes to make it easier to cut.
- Cut the log along it's length and then braid it. Take one over the other alternatively. Tuck the ends under. Lift this into a prepared loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Cover again with cling film or damp kitchen towel.
- Let it rise for another 30 min-1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 356 F.
- Bake the babka in the oven for about 35-40 minutes.
- Bread is done if the skewer inserted comes in clean.Also when you knock on the back of the bread and it feels hollow.
- Make this ahead of time so that it can be brushed over the bread as soon as it's out of the oven.
- Heat the sugar and water in a sauce pan together till the sugar crystals dissolve and the syrup thickens.
- Brush it generously over the babka for the beautiful glossy look.