Chocolate Babka

 

I used Joanne Chang (The Flour Bakery in NYC) brioche dough to make my Babka. I tested with Paul Hollywood's brioche but found it too delicate to handle. Then I used Duff Goldman's filling. And I used Sallys Baking Addiction to make the babka. Its the best babka to combine the best of the best recipes from each of these chefs.

Ingredients

• 2 and ¼ cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 and ¼ cups (340 grams) bread flour
• 3 and ¼ teaspoons (1 and ½ packages) active dry yeast or 1 ounce (28 grams) fresh cake yeast
• ⅓ cup plus 1 Tablespoon (82 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• ½ cup (120 grams) cold water
• 6 eggs divided
• 1 cup plus 6 Tablespoons (2 and ¾ sticks or 310 grams) unsalted butter room temperature, cut into 10-12 pieces

Chocolate Filling: 

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence

Topping:

• 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup butter, cold and cubed

Make the filling: 

        Heat the sugar, heavy cream and salt in a saucepan until scalding. Pour over the bittersweet chocolate chips, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Let cool to room temperature. 

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the egg on low speed for about 5 minutes. You will need to stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides down so all the dry ingredients get incorporated. Your dough will look pretty dry at this point (that's OK and expected).2. Keep the mixer on low and slowly add in the butter, one pat at a time. Once all the butter has been incorporated, you'll want to stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl. Your dough will appear like a big old mess and very shaggy. Trust me though - keep mixing and your dough will eventually turn satiny and smooth. You'll want to mix the dough for about 10-15 minutes for this to happen. Once it turns satiny smooth, turn the mixer to medium high for 1 minute.3. Transfer your dough to a large, well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator and allow it to rest and rise for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

  1. Generously grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans with butter or nonstick spray.

  1. Shape the babka: On slightly floured work surface, roll one dough half out into a 9×13 inch rectangle (approximately). Spread with 1 cup of Nutella, leaving a 1/2 inch border uncovered.

  1. Tightly roll the dough into a 13-inch log. Place the log on its seam. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise. I find a serrated knife works best. Criss-cross one half, cut side down, on top of the other half– forming an X. Twist the two together. Place in prepared loaf pan and cover with a clean towel. Repeat with 2nd half of dough. This step can get a little messy!

  1. Allow both shaped (and covered) loaves to rest for 10-20 minutes as you prepare the crumble topping and preheat the oven.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

  1. Make the crumble topping: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the brown sugar mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. Set aside.

  1. Whisk the remaining 2 Tablespoons of milk with the leftover egg white. This is your egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the babka loaves with egg wash. Do the best you can as some Nutella is exposed. Top each loaf with crumble topping.

  1. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until babka is golden brown on top. Gently tap the loaves– if they sound hollow, the bread is done. Remove from the oven, place each pan on a wire rack, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

  1. Cover and store leftover babka at room temperature for a couple days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. (It won’t last that long!!) You can also freeze the baked babka for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. Or warm it up in the oven.