Chocolate Babka Bread

For those of you who don't know what babka bread is, it's a spongy, brioche-like yeast bread swirled with either cinnamon, chocolate, nuts, or hazelnut spread. A lot of people have this for either breakfast or dessert, but I enjoy it any time of the day. 

This recipe will make two loafs of babka bread, so you can freeze the other one after it cools. These will get stale after 24 hours, so eat it fresh or stick it in the freezer for another time.

You can great creative with the filling if you want. I kept it classic and went with chocolate, but you are free to add chopped nuts onto the chocolate or even hazelnut spread. You can even omit the cinnamon if you would like, but I recommend keeping it!

You want to work fast after taking the dough out of the fridge because it gets hard to roll when the dough warms up. Keep the other half in the fridge as you work on the first loaf.

It's okay if its not the prettiest thing. Once it rises and bakes, you will get those layers you're looking for and it will taste delicious.

Make sure to pour over the sugar/water syrup you made right when it comes out of the oven. This gives it the shiny glaze and will soak up into the hot bread.

INGREDIENTS"

Bread

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 package active dry yeast

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/8 sticks butter, unsalted

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Syrup

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Warm milk for 30 seconds in microwave to about 115 degrees fahrenheit 

2.  Whisk yeast into the warm milk

3.  Whisk in 1 cup of the flour and let sit for 10 minutes

4. In mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar. Beat 5 minutes on medium speed

5. Add eggs, yolk, and vanilla, scraping down sides while mixing on medium speed.

6. Add remaining flour, and then add milk, yeast, and flour mixture. Mix on low for 1 minute.

7. Add salt and continue to mix until dough pulls away cleanly from the bowl

8. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for 6-8 hours

9. To make the filling, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the chocolate and mix until melted. Stir in the cocoa powder and cinnamon. Set aside

10. Divide dough into two equal pieces and on a floured surface, roll each piece out to a 12-by-20-inch rectangle. Cover with a layer of chocolate filling, and top with remaining chopped chocolate.

11. Slice the dough completely in half lengthwise. With the cut sides facing up, overlap the end of one cut half over the other until you completely twist the two together (watch video). Make sure the cut sides are always facing up.

12. Place in greased loaf pan and put in warm place until it rises (about 1 hour)

13. Place loaf in a 375 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes

14. While dough is baking, bring water and sugar to a boil and then set aside

15. Remove loaf from the oven and spoon the syrup mixture over the babka

16. Let sit for 15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan