Here’s what you need to know about babka: it’s a gorgeous swirly dough laced with layers of rich, chocolatey goodness. That’s about as much as I knew about babka before I attempted making it but I was sold before the first bite. I had spent hours drooling over photos of the impossibly beautiful braided bread on my favourite baking blogs until I finally worked up the courage to give it a shot. And let me tell you, the drool is real.
Actually, my initial effort was a total flop. I made the rookie move of trying to use active-dry yeast in the place of instant-yeast in a recipe that called for the latter. Note to all amateur bakers: the two are NOT interchangeable! Active-dry yeast typically requires that you let it start to activate in warm water before mixing it with flour whereas instant-yeast can be incorporated directly into a flour mixture. I personally prefer working with active-dry yeast because I can tell if it’s doing its bubbly frothy magic before I add anything else. The result of my mistake was that the yeast did not integrate properly into the dough and it turned into a tough brick that wouldn’t budge, let alone rise into pillowy soft perfection. Lesson learned, I scrapped the dough and started again from scratch.
I began using my kitchen intuition a little more intently (I actually do know better than to use the wrong type of yeast—DUH!). I did some research and found several recipes with different variations on babka and decided to play with the elements that appealed to me from each one. I reclaimed my confidence and creativity, and guess what? It was so FUN! Plus, it led me to craft this tried and truly brilliant recipe.
I was especially nervous about what would happen when it came time to braid the dough but I was thrilled to discover that despite the messy process, it turned out far better than I had imagined. Once you manage to stuff it into the pan, the second rise helps it fill out a bit and transform into an artful swirl that looks way more complex than it really is. Add a little sugar glaze on top and it suddenly feels like the kind of thing you could sell at a legit bakery.
Like most homemade treats, it tastes best warm out of the oven—the primary challenge is slowing yourself down when it feels like you could eat the whole loaf in one sitting! To avoid this phenomenon, I recommend doubling the recipe to make two loaves to share with anyone (everyone) who needs babka in their life. It will melt in their mouths and they will love you forever.
FYI, babka finds its roots in the Eastern European Jewish tradition. The word “babka” comes from “baba,” meaning old woman or grandmother. Thank goodness for the inspired women behind this outrageously tasty sweet bread!
- Emily
Chocolate Babka Recipe
Ingredients:
Dough:
2 tsp. active-dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
½ c. warmed milk
6 tbsp. (3 oz.) butter at room temperature
1 egg
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. flour
Filling:
6 tbsp. (3 oz.) butter
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp. white sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
Syrup:
¼ c. water
¼ c. white sugar
Method:
Combine yeast, sugar, and milk and let sit for about 10 minutes until bubbles appear on surface. Put yeast mixture in a large bowl and add butter, egg, and salt. Mix with a dough hook until combined and then gradually mix in flour until dough forms a ball. I do a little hand kneading at the end so that it comes together nicely but it should be slightly sticky. Cover bowl with tea towel and let rise until dough has roughly doubled in size, about two hours in a warm place.
While dough is rising, prepare the filling. Melt butter in a sauce pan and stir in chocolate chips until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon. When dough has finished rising, roll out into a large rectangular shape that is about ¼ inch thick. Spread filling evenly over the dough, then roll dough lengthwise into a tight spiral. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll down the middle lengthwise. Lay the two halves next to each other and pinch the top ends together. Then braid, one half over the other, before pinching the bottom ends together.
Grease a 9 x 5” bread pan and squish the braid into the pan in a curved S-shape with the exposed chocolate sides facing up where possible. This part is always a little messy but no matter how it looks going in, it always turns out well! Cover the bread pan with a tea towel and let it rise again until it fills the bread pan, about half an hour in a warm place.
Bake loaf at 375°F for about 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. As loaf is baking, heat water and sugar on stovetop until the sugar has dissolved. When the babka is done, pour syrup over top immediately and let sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
