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Chocolate Babka

With swirls of rich chocolate tucked into soft, pillowy dough, this easy Chocolate Babka Recipe is an irresistibly decadent treat you’ll love to share (or not!)

Chocolate Babka

Print Recipe

Yield

1 cake 1 cake

Difficulty

Intermediate Intermediate

Prep Time

30-45 minutes 30-45 minutes

Bake Time

25-30 minutes 25-30 minutes

Proof Time

2 hours 2 hours

Rise Time

1-1.5 hours 1-1.5 hours

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Ingredients

For the dough

  • 2¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 packet Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Instant Yeast
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • 2 eggs
  • Zest of 1 orange (optional)
  • 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

For the simple syrup

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Karo® Light Corn Syrup
  • ⅓ cup orange juice (or water)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, sugar, and undissolved yeast. Heat milk and butter until very warm (120–130°F). Gradually add to the flour mixture. Mix very well with a wooden spoon or whisk. Add eggs and ½ cup more of flour. Stir vigorously to make a thick batter. Add the remainder of the flour until a soft dough forms.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and set in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
  3. Once doubled in size, put the dough out onto a very well floured surface. Roll to 10-inch width (this side should be closest to you) and as long as possible without tearing the dough. (The dough will be very thin.)
  4. Spread the chocolate evenly over the dough leaving a ½ inch border on all sides. Wet the furthest end from you with water, and roll the dough into a long, tight log, sealing the wet end onto the log. (You can freeze the dough for 10 minutes at this stage to make it easier to shape.)
  5. Trim the last ½ inch off each end of the log. Cut the log in half lengthwise and lay each side next to each other, cut sides up. Pinch the top ends gently together. Lift one side over the other to twist the dough together, keeping the cut sides facing up.
  6. Line a 9x4-inch loaf pan with butter and flour or parchment paper and carefully shape the babka into an “S” before transferring into the prepared pan. Cover loosely and let rise for another hour.
  7. When the loaf has risen, preheat the oven to 375°F. Uncover the bread and make an egg wash by beating together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water. Liberally brush the whole babka. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and no longer doughy in the middle. If the bread starts to get too dark, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
  8. While the babka is baking, make the simple syrup by combining the sugar, corn syrup and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
  9. When the babka is done cooking, brush with simple syrup and allow to cool completely before eating!

Tips

Once you’ve covered your dough with the chocolate filling, roll your dough into a log, cut the log down the middle (length wise), then twist and braid to achieve Babka’s signature layering. Freezing the dough log for 10 minutes prior to cutting and twisting makes shaping easier.

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