Chocolate Babka
A rich, braided yeast bread swirled with dark chocolate filling — the loaf that made Jewish bakeries across New York famous.
- Prep
- 180 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 225 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Stand mixer
- •Loaf pan
- •Rolling pin
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 19
- carbs
- 46
- protein
- 7
- calories
- 380
Instructions
- 1
Stir the yeast into warm milk with a pinch of the sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Mix the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture and eggs, then knead into a rough dough.
- 3
Add the softened butter a little at a time. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and slightly sticky.
- 4
Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator overnight. Or let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours until doubled.
- 5
Melt the chocolate and butter together for the filling. Whisk in powdered sugar and cocoa until smooth, then let it cool slightly.
- 6
Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the chocolate filling evenly across the top.
- 7
Roll the dough tightly into a log and cut it lengthwise. Twist the two halves together and place into a greased loaf pan.
- 8
Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–45 minutes, covering loosely with foil if browning too fast.
- 9
Brush the hot loaf right away with warm sugar syrup. Let it cool before slicing.
Chef's tips
Do not twist the dough too tightly. A loose twist creates beautiful chocolate swirls and keeps the bread soft and light.
Storage
Store wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days, or freeze whole or sliced for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Warm slices in a toaster oven or 300°F (150°C) oven for a few minutes to soften the chocolate again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the dough too thin, which makes the chocolate leak out while baking.
- •Not letting the dough rise enough, which makes the bread heavy and dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- •Skipping the sugar syrup after baking, which gives the bread its shiny, moist crust.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Chocolate Babka?
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