Chocolate Babka

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • ½  cup warm water

  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 egg, at room temperature

  • ⅛ cup honey

  • ¼ cup coconut oil

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 ¼ cups bread flour

For the filing:

  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup chocolate, chopped

  • 1/2 cup sugar 

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • ½ teaspoon salt 

  • 2 eggs

  • ¼ cup all purpose flour 

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla 

  • sugar, for sprinkling

For the dough:

Combine water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let sit to prove, approximately 10 minutes, until slightly foamy.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a separate bowl. In another bowl, mix together the egg, honey, coconut oil, lemon zest and vanilla.

Once the yeast is bubbly, pour in the wet and dry ingredients. Knead with the hook until the dough comes together in a soft, sticky ball. The dough will be very sticky, that’s normal.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the fridge.

For the filing:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugars and vanilla together until light and fluffy, approximately 10 minutes.

Place the butter in a saucepan and heat on low until completely melted. Place it in a heatproof bowl, add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa, salt, and flour.

Once the eggs are done whipping, add the warm chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour mixture, until all ingredients are well combined.

For assembling:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 9-by-17-inch rectangle.

Spread the filling over the dough with a small spatula, leaving a half inch border on all sides.

Roll the dough up into a log, so that the log is about as long as the loaf pan. Put in the fridge for approximately 10 minutes (it will be easier to work with the dough if slightly cold).

Slice the dough coil in half lengthwise to expose the filling and twist the two logs around each other.

Spray the loaf pan with baking spray. Place the twisted dough in the pan and set in a warm place to rise for 2 approximately hours, until puffy (it won’t quite double).

When ready to bake, gently brush the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle sugar over the dough.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until puffed and well browned.

Enjoy!

 
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