Chocolate Babka: layers of super rich and yeasty brioche dough, layered with straight up dark chocolate. It’s a major win for breakfast or as a snack with hot chocolate. It also makes an amazing Christmas neighbor gift! Originally published December 20, 2013.
Table of Contents
- This Chocolate Babka Bread is what dreams are made of
- Why you’ll love this Chocolate Babka Recipe
- Ingredients for the Best Chocolate Babka
- Tools to Use for the Best Chocolate Babka
- How to make the Best Chocolate Babka Recipe
- Chocolate Babka Recipe Tips for success
- Babka Chocolate Bread Variations
- How to store Chocolate Babka
- Babka (Chocolate) Recipe
Yesterday my mom was reading me all the crossed-off items on her to-do list. (What, you guys don’t do this? Sometimes you need a pat on the back just for getting through the day, especially when that day includes stampeding crowds at Toys-R-Us, tantrums at the grocery store, and that moment at the post office when you realize the address you need is on the slip of paper you left at home. Gotta love this relaxing season.)
She read her list: “Go to the post office, give the dog a bath, buy pajamas for grandkids, finish sewing Christmas projects, make treats for coworkers, and shave your legs.”
You know that your life has gotten too busy when standard grooming procedures make it on your to-do list. At least it didn’t say “blink” or “breathe” anywhere on there.
Although I’m one to talk. Pretty much any day that I’m organized enough to make a to-do list the first item says “take a shower, you dirty animal.” I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes it still doesn’t happen. And that’s when I count my many blessings: dry shampoo and deodorant top the list.
This Chocolate Babka Bread is what dreams are made of
Maybe you dreamed of a pony when you were little. Now is the time to change that dream…and start letting visions of chocolate bread dance in your head.
Even if this babka wasn’t covered in high quality dark chocolate, it would STILL be amazing. This dough is the stuff, I’m telling you. The milk, sugar, and eggs added to the dough make it super rich and tender, like a croissant. It’s easy to work with and when you twist a filling into it, it creates a delicious layered bread that makes the perfect snack or breakfast treat.
What is Chocolate Babka?
Chocolate babka is a rich, buttery, yeasty dough, rolled out and twisted up with lots of dark chocolate. It’s baked until the crust is a stunning golden brown and sliced, ready to be devoured warm with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
Chocolate babka (and all babkas, no matter the filling) have their origins in Jewish kitchens in Eastern Europe. The name is pretty similar to the Polish word for grandmother, because babkas used to be baked in these tall pans that looked like a grandmother’s skirt. They can be filled with chocolate, fruit, nuts, you name it. What makes a babka a babka is that buttery dough, which is just about as decadent as it gets.
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Babka Recipe
Everyone I gave this bread to thought I was calling it “Chocolate Vodka.” I don’t know if that’s a real thing, I’m seriously glad I’ve never tried it.
The babka, on the other hand, is probably the best thing since…well, since sliced bread. We are talking an incredibly tender fall-apart butter-bread with a crusty outer layer and swirls of dark chocolate layered throughout. It’s almost like eating one of those chocolate filled croissants, except it’s even better because it’s warm.
I’m not going to lie, this recipe takes some doing. It’s not hard, but it’s not fast. Both rising steps take at least an hour and a half. Make this on a lazy day at home, when you have your Christmas tunes turned up high and you’re avoiding the crowds by ordering everything online. You can either make this in 2 regular loaf pans or in several mini loaf pans. The mini ones would make great neighbor gifts, and provide a lovely respite from all the cookies. (Not that I’m hating on cookies.)
Ingredients for the Best Chocolate Babka
Here’s a list of everything you need to make this chocolate babka. Scroll down to the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients!
- Milk
- White sugar
- Active dry yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Flour
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Bittersweet baking chips (60% cacao)
Tools to Use for the Best Chocolate Babka
These are my favorite kitchen tools to use when I’m making Chocolate Babka. If you don’t have these, no big deal! (If you buy through these links, I make a small percentage at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting the business that supports my family!)
How to make the Best Chocolate Babka Recipe
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this chocolate babka. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for complete instructions!
In a glass measuring cup, warm the milk in the microwave. Add sugar and yeast, and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
Add the yeast mixture to a stand mixer or large bowl. Add sugar and part of the flour and stir to combine, then add eggs, yolk, vanilla, and salt, and stir to combine. Add the rest of the flour and use the dough hook to mix it up.
Add the softened butter a little bit at a time, beating thoroughly each time. Once it is all mixed in, knead with the hook for about 4-5 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl, and scrape the dough in. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Assemble babkas with the filling: Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and punch it down with your hand. Knead by hand in the bowl, adding flour until it is workable and able to be rolled out. Divide the dough in half.
On a lightly floured silpat or heavily floured work surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a rectangle.
In a small bowl, beat together yolk and cream.
Spread softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the edges. Brush a light amount of egg wash on the long border furthest from you.
Use a knife or food processor to finely chop 5 ounces of the chocolate. Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate over the dough, then sprinkle half of the whole chocolate pieces over the dough.
Sprinkle with half of the sugar. Starting with the long side that is not brushed with the egg wash, roll dough into a snug log. Pinch firmly along egg-washed seam to seal. Bring ends of log together to form a ring, and pinch it to seal, using more egg wash if necessary. Twist the entire ring twice to form a double figure 8.
Line two 9×5 loaf pans with parchment paper. Gently place the babka into the first pan, and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Let rise in a warm place for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours.
Make another babka with the remaining piece of dough, butter, egg wash, chopped chocolate, whole chocolate, and sugar.
Chill remaining egg wash, covered, to use later.
Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Brush tops of dough liberally with remaining egg wash. Bake until the tops are deep golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped (when loaves are removed from pans), about 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to a rack and cool to room temperature.
Chocolate Babka Recipe Tips for success
Chocolate babka is totally doable, even for a beginning baker! Here are some tips to make sure yours turns out perfectly:
- Use fresh yeast. Your babka won’t rise if you use expired yeast. That’s why we’re proofing it in the first step of the recipe – to make sure your yeast is alive.
- Leave plenty of rise time. Some dough rises in an hour (or even 45 minutes). Babka dough needs at least 1 ½ hours or more to rise both the first AND second time (it’s all those rich ingredients – butter, sugar, eggs – that cause it to need a little more time). In other words, if you’re making this for breakfast, you’re making it the day before.
- Accept the softness. If you’re used to making bread with less butter in it (like pizza dough, ciabatta, sandwich bread, etc.) then you’re used to a dough that comes together and has a certain quality to it. This babka dough is super soft because of all the butter – and that’s totally ok! It will turn out just great.
- Only twist your bread once if you’re making a mini loaf. Otherwise, the tension of twisting it twice could cause the dough to rip.
Babka Chocolate Bread Variations
Chocolate babka is just one version of this amazing sweet bread. You could make this with a ton of different fillings in place of the chocolate. Try these ideas:
- Spread the rolled out dough with basil pesto and sprinkle with shredded parmesan.
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil, sprinkle it with shredded mozzarella, sprinkle with dried basil, and toss on some chopped pepperoni.
- Spread the babka with your jam of choice: peach, blueberry, and raspberry are some great options.
- Grab the Nutella and spread it over the dough.
- Sprinkle the rolled out dough with everything bagel seasoning.
- Instead of dark chocolate morsels, try cinnamon chips or chopped white chocolate.
How to store Chocolate Babka
Chocolate babka can be stored, sliced or unsliced, in an airtight container on your counter for up to 3 days. After that, there is no excuse for not having eaten all of it. Ha! But seriously. If you really do have some left (or you’re preparing it in advance for some special event), just freeze it. It’ll stay much fresher and will be good for 2-3 months.
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Babka (Chocolate)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3/4 cup milk, warm, 105–115°F
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 & 3/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 & 1/4 sticks, cut into pieces and softened
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon cream
For chocolate filling:
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided and well softened
- 1 & 1/2 10-oz bags bittersweet baking chips, 60% cacao, divided
- 1/3 cup sugar, divided
Instructions
- To make the dough: In a glass measuring cup, warm the milk in the microwave. Be careful not to overdo it. You should be able to put your finger in with absolutely no discomfort. If you warm it too much, put it in the fridge for a while. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and 4 teaspoons of yeast, and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it is foamy. If it does not foam–and I mean at least double in size–toss it and start over.
- Add the yeast mixture to a stand mixer or large bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup of flour and stir to combine (use the paddle or a spoon, or hold the dough hook in your hand to mix it.) Add eggs, yolk, vanilla, and salt, and stir to combine. Add the 2 and 3/4 cup flour and use the dough hook to mix it up. It will be very soft.
- Add the softened butter a little bit at a time, beating thoroughly each time. Once it is all mixed in, knead with the hook for about 4-5 minutes. The dough should be shiny and form strands from paddle to bowl.
- Lightly oil a large bowl, and scrape the dough in. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for at least 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Assemble babkas with the filling: Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and punch it down with your hand. Knead by hand in the bowl, adding flour until it is workable and able to be rolled out. Divide the dough in half.
- On a lightly floured silpat or heavily floured work surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into an 18- by 10-inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, beat together yolk and cream.
- Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the edges. Brush a light amount of egg wash on the long border furthest from you.
- Use a knife or food processor to finely chop 5 ounces of the chocolate, about half of a ten-ounce bag. Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate over the dough, then sprinkle half of the whole chocolate pieces over the dough.
- Sprinkle with half of the 1/3 cup of sugar; just eyeball it. Starting with the long side that is not brushed with the egg wash, roll dough into a snug log. Pinch firmly along egg-washed seam to seal. Bring ends of log together to form a ring, and pinch it to seal, using more egg wash if necessary. Twist the entire ring twice to form a double figure 8. (See photos below)
- Line two 9×5 loaf pans with parchment paper. Gently place the babka into the first pan, and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Let rise in a warm place for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours. The bread needs to rise to at least the top of the pan, if not more. (Alternatively, let dough rise in pans in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours; bring to room temperature, 3 to 4 hours, before baking.)
- Make another babka with the remaining piece of dough, butter, egg wash, chopped chocolate, whole chocolate, and sugar.
- Chill remaining egg wash, covered, to use later.
- Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Brush tops of dough liberally with remaining egg wash. Bake until tops are deep golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped (when loaves are removed from pans), about 40 minutes. (If you are doing mini loaves bake for about 30-35 minutes.) Transfer loaves to a rack and cool to room temperature.
Can you put a crumbs on top if it? Obes I had before had a sugar topping or crumbs!
Again thank you for all these recipes
Hi,
I made this recipe right before Christmas hoping that it would be a hit. I’m sorry to say it was a bit of a miss as I think the chocolate to bread ratio is off. I would suggest doing less of the 15 ounces chocolate called for. I think halving that would be better.