How to Make Chocolate Babka
Chocolate babka: the intersection of sweet dough, patience, and chocolatey goodness.
Since quarantine began, pictures of bread are about the only thing I see on social media anymore. The internet is truly obsessed.
Jumping on a similar bandwagon, I found this babka recipe a few weeks ago and figured it was about time to test it out. Traditional, cultural foods have become more popularized in the recent days of social media and food blogging, but I wanted to try an authentic recipe to get a true taste of chocolate babka.
I can attest that it is delicious! The recipe isn’t difficult to follow, but make sure to read it through a couple times through before starting. I used one from Smitten Kitchen but had to make several adjustments along the way.
Day 1
Starting on the dough the night before will help immensely and make the process more manageable.
I followed the dough recipe measurements without any changes. While I was mixing the dough with my stand mixer, I was a bit concerned about the butter mixing in. Initially, it was a greasy, buttery mess, but leaving the dough to mix for a full 10 minutes is key. It will be sticky.
Pop that in the fridge overnight and the process becomes so much less time-consuming. It will rise, but not double in size like traditional bread.
Day 2
The next morning, I started with the chocolate mixture.
It comes together in just a few minutes. Adding in just a touch of cinnamon makes that authentic bakery taste come to life, so I recommend it. The chocolate mixture can firm up during the filling process, so feel free to warm it over the stovetop so it keeps a spreadable consistency.
I ended up rolling the dough into about a 12 x 12 inch sad-excuse-for-a-square shape. With a well-floured surface underneath, it was easy to roll out and maneuver. And those streaks of orange zest throughout the dough looked so pretty, I was already excited.
Spread the chocolate mixture over top and leave a small amount of space at the edge. Starting with the side closest to you, begin to roll the dough into a tight log and place on floured cookie sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This made the cutting so much easier because the chocolate mixture solidifies.
Next, chop the ends off until you can see some of the filling emerge. Use a large knife to cut the dough in half lengthwise.
I gently wiggled it through the dough to retain the streaks of chocolate as best as I could. With the streaks facing outward, twist the logs around each other to form a twisty loaf.
Because I was using different sized pans (see notes) I played around for several minutes to fit each loaf in its respective pan. I placed the ends that I had cut off in the pan once the loaf was inside. It may look sloppy, but everything comes together after additional rising and baking. Just trust me on that.
I used disposable pans but lined them with parchment paper. One loaf was super thick and compact since I used a small pan. The other was in a larger pan, but expanded to fill it nicely.
While the babka is baking, take a moment to appreciate how incredible your kitchen smells, then move on to the sugar syrup. The recipe was keen on using ⅓ cup, but ¼ worked fine for me for both loaves. As soon as they came out of the oven, I evenly brushed them with the syrup and let them cool for about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack until fully cooled. Or if you’re impatient like I am, just start cutting now.
Notice how any sloppiness automatically bakes away. The chocolate, orange, and cinnamon come together to create a unique symphony of flavors that emulate freshly baked bakery bread. Dense yet soft, buttery dough encompasses deep chocolate swirls that make this bread a lovely treat to satisfy a range of palates, particularly those who enjoy less sweet treats.
Enjoy the deliciousness of an amazing homemade chocolate babka!
Recipe Notes:
-I used the recipe’s recommended orange zest instead of lemon
-As a dark chocolate fanatic, I used Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips and Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder.
-The only loaf pans I had and used were 8 x 4 inch and 12 x 4 inch.
-Once I arranged the loaves in the pans, I noticed some layer separation, a common issue with babka. I pressed and pinched them back together and they turned out just fine.
-My larger loaf required 35 minutes in the oven, no foil on top. The smaller container had a much greater amount of dough for its size, so I baked it 35 minutes uncovered, then about 25 more with foil.
