Chocolate Babka

This is my great-grandmother’s babka recipe. I didn’t know her as an adult, but I know her through baking her recipes. My favorites are her apple strudel and chocolate babka. My mom doesn’t’ make this recipe herself, but she loves when I do. It reminds me of when my mom and Johnna (who’s now my wife), were first able to really sit down and meet each other. I had made it for Seder and it was really nice to be able to see them talking over this babka. Afterwards, my mom pulled me aside and told me she really liked Johnna. That’s when I knew I could really marry her.

Yields two 9”x5” loaves.

Ingredients

FOR DOUGH

  • 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast

  • 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

  • 1/3 cup sugar, plus a pinch

  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest

  • 10 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

FOR THE FILLING

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature

  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 tsp sugar

  • 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • 4 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

FOR FINISHING

  • Cooking spray

  • 4 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 3/4 cup water

Cooking Instructions

  1. MAKE THE DOUGH: Sprinkle the yeast over the milk in a liquid measuring cup; add a pinch of sugar and set aside until bubbly, about 7 minutes. Combine the flour, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, the eggs, yeast mixture, salt, vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes. Knead in the butter in three additions, dusting the dough with flour if it's too sticky. Transfer the dough to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough, re-cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge overnight.

  2. MAKE THE FILLING: Heat the sugar, heavy cream and salt in a saucepan until scalding. Pour over the bittersweet chocolate chips, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Let cool to room temperature.

  3. MAKE THE TOPPING: Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl; work in the butter with your fingers until the mixture is sandy and chunky. Stir in the mini chocolate chips; set the topping aside.

  4. FORM THE LOAVES: Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Using a rolling pin, roll each half into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling on both dough rectangles, all the way to the edges. Starting from a long side, tightly roll each rectangle into a log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes. Unwrap the logs; cut each in half lengthwise with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Twist the halves together a few times, starting from the middle. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with parchment, then spray the parchment. Place a dough twist snugly in each pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 hours.

  5. FINISH AND BAKE THE BABKA: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush each loaf with butter and sprinkle with the topping. Bake until browned, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make some simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan; simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let cool. Pull the loaves out of the oven and immediately poke a bunch of holes in each with a wooden skewer. Pour 1 1/4 cups simple syrup evenly over the loaves.

  6. LET SIT 10 MINUTES then remove the babka from the pans, remove the parchment and let cool completely on a rack.