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Tasty Chocolate Babka Recipe !!

A sweet, buttery yeast bread with swirls of chocolate running throughou, smooth and super chocolaty filling, and it always feels homey and comforting. It’s such a delicious treat and an all-time favorite in our home! Every bite is soft and buttery and full of chocolate goodness. No one is able to resist a warm piece of this chooclate babka
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Ingrédients
  

FOR THE DOUGH:

  • 4 c. Unbleached All-purpose Flour
  • 1/2 c. Sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp. Instant Yeast, Preferably Made For Sweet Bread But Not Required
  • 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
  • 3 Eggs At Room Temperature
  • 1 Egg Yolk, At Room Temperature
  • 1/2 c. Whole Milk At Room Temperature
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 10 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, At Room Temperature

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1/2 c. Unsalted Butter, At Room Temperature
  • 1/2 c. Sugar
  • 1/3 c. Cocoa
  • 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 6 oz. weight Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped Medium-fine

FOR THE SYRUP :

  • 2/3 c. Sugar
  • 2/3 c. Water

Instructions
 

  • For the dough, stir flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs, yolk, milk, and vanilla using the dough hook. Mix on low speed until mixture comes together, scraping down the bowl and hook as needed. On low speed, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and knead with the dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough should have pulled away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning the dough, so it is evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  • The next day, remove dough from refrigerator while preparing for the filling and baking. Butter two 8 1/2 to 9-inch loaf pans. Line pans with parchment paper, cutting to fit with some overhang on both the long and short sides. Butter the bottom piece of parchment so that the top piece sticks. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
  • Place butter, sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and beat until combined.
  • Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll one dough half into a rectangle about 10 x 12-14 inches. The 10-inch side should be the closest to you. Spread half of the filling over the rolled dough. Sprinkle with half of the chopped chocolate. Starting with the end closest to you, roll the dough fairly tightly. Place seam side down on the cookie sheet. Repeat with reaming dough and filling.
  • Place the cookie sheet with the two rolls in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the rolled dough from the freezer; trim the ends if they are uneven. Working one roll at a time, use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise down the center. Twist each roll, then braid the two pieces together, pinching the ends and place in one of the prepared pans. Repeat with the second roll. Don’t worry if the dough looks uneven in the pan.
  • Cover the pans with buttered plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours. During the last 20 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Make the sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Let the mixture boil for a minute or two, then remove from heat to cool.
  • Once the rising time is finished, bake the breads in the oven for 40–50 minutes, or until 190ºF. Place on a wire rack and poke the breads several times with a long skewer. (Use the thermometer in a pinch.)
  • Pour the cooled syrup over the babkas 1/4 cup at a time, dividing the syrup evenly. Let the babkas cool in the pans for about 40 minutes, then using the parchment to lift out of the pans. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Wrap cooled loaves in foil and store on the counter. Babkas may be wrapped well and frozen.

Notes

Babka Tips and Tricks :

Usually, when I want to follow a recipe, I end up making so many changes that it turns into a completely different recipe than the original. This time though, I had a good feeling about it, so I decided to follow the recipe as-is. The result? Perfection.
  • Although it’s possible to leave the dough at room temperature for the first rise, it’s highly recommended to place it in the fridge for at least 8 hours so it sets properly and is easy to work with. Mine rolled out so smoothly and beautifully after refrigeration that I wanted to keep playing with it forever!
  • Sometimes, to make things simple, I will use a chocolate spread such as Nutella instead of making the filling myself. You can do the same if you prefer.
  • The sugar syrup not only makes the cake shiny and beautiful, but also keeps it fresh for longer.
  • Speaking of freshness, as with any bread, this cake will start drying out after 24 hours, but the good news is that it freezes well.
  • Instead of water (in the dough), you can use milk or a combination of water and milk.
  • You can add a bit of cinnamon, 1/4 to 1 teaspoon, to the chocolate filling.
  • While some like babka because of the dough, to me it’s all about the filling, so the more chocolate, the better. You can add ⅔ cup chocolate chips or chunks or 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or other nuts (for both loaves).
  • If the chocolate filling becomes firm, warm it up a bit in the microwave. Don’t use it hot, though, since it can warm the dough and cause it to melt. If, on the other hand, the filling is too soft and not in a spreadable consistency, place it in the fridge for a short while, but keep an eye on it so it won’t become too hard.
Bake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C, making sure to allow plenty of time for it to heat fully before the cakes have finished rising. Remove plastic wrap, and place cakes on middle rack of oven. Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top. If you have a thermometer, you are looking for an internal temperature of about 200ºF/93ºC degrees.
Make the syrup:
  1. While the cakes are in the oven, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and set aside to cool. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, brush the syrup over them. Use all of the syrup, even if it looks a lot. Let cakes cool until they are warm, then remove from pans and let cool completely before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  2. Babka will stay fresh for 24 hours in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not place it in the fridge. It also freezes well for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave at room temperature for 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
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