Chocolate Babka 2.0

Is there anything better than a freshly baked loaf of artisan bread swirled with a rich, dark, decadent chocolate ribbon?😋 I love this bread so much that I've become an expert at coming up with excuses to eat more of it.🍞🍫  I toast it so it becomes a perfectly acceptable breakfast food.  If I happen to have extra cream cheese in my refrigerator - I spread a little over a thick slice and it becomes a delicious snack to use up leftovers.  Chocolate Babka is the perfect compliment to any brunch, lunch or dessert table.  

Don't let the length of this homemade bread recipe intimidate you.  It can easily be divided into a 2 day project instead of 1 long marathon bread baking session.  I like to make the dough on the first day and then let it (and me) rest overnight.😴  The following day, I make the filling, assemble and bake the delicious, chocolate filled loaf.  Honestly the hardest part of the whole process is waiting for the bread to cool enough before I can cut a slice.  

Chocolate Babka
4½ cups flour 
½ cup sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 
4 eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
1½ teaspoons salt
10 Tablespoons butter, room temperature 

For the Filling:
½ cup butter
½ cup heavy cream
8 ounces chopped dark chocolate
¾ cup powdered sugar 
⅓ cup cocoa powder 

For the Syrup:
⅓ cup granulated sugar 
⅓ cup water

Whisk together the flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add the eggs, milk, and salt and mix on low speed using the dough hook.

Add butter, 1 T. at a time.  Knead 10 minutes.  

Transfer dough to a greased bowl.  

Cover and let rise 8 hours.  

Combine butter and cream in saucepan. Heat until butter is melted.

For filling: stir in chocolate until melted.  Remove from heat. 

Whisk in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

Transfer to a bowl and let cool until thickened to a spreadable consistency, about 1 hour.

Divide dough in half. Roll each dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle.

Spread half of filling on dough to the edge on three sides, leaving a 1-inch border on one short side.

Starting at the short side opposite the border, roll the dough into a tight coil, and pinch the seam to seal.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise. 

Position each half parallel to each other with the cut sides facing up. 

Twist the halves together, keeping the cut sides facing up.  Tuck ends under.

Place each in a greased and floured loaf pan. 

​Cover and let rise 2 hours. 

Bake 40 minutes at 350.

​For syrup, bring water and sugar to a simmer until sugar is dissolved. 

As soon as loaves come out of the oven, brush with syrup.

Let the babkas cool for 30 minutes in the pans before removing. 

Ciao!

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