Chocolate Babka

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

Pour in the warm milk and the eggs, and mix on low speed until everything is incorporated and the dough comes together into a rough ball, about 5 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. This should take about 5 minutes, but keep kneading until the dough gathers around the dough hook.  

Let the dough rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. This gives the gluten a chance to relax, making it easier to incorporate the butter.

Return the mixer to medium speed and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting until it’s fully incorporated before adding the next tablespoon. Take your time and allow the dough to absorb the butter. It should take 5 to 8 minutes to add all the butter

Continue kneading the dough on medium speed until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. The sides of the bowl should be clean, and the dough may make a slapping sound against the bowl as it mixes; these are good signs that the dough is ready for the first rise.

Scrape the dough out onto a clean surface and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the bowl with butter. Transfer the dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

Once the dough has risen at room temperature, the dough should be puffy and have risen noticeably, but it won’t have doubled. Transfer the covered bowl to the refrigerator, where the dough will continue to rise a bit and develop flavor. Chill overnight or up to 2 days.

Same-day option: While an overnight rise is preferable for developing the best flavor, you can finish the babka the same day as long as you chill the dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour. The dough will need this time to continue rising, and to chill. Cold dough is easier to roll out and shape.

When you’re ready to bake the babka, make the chocolate filling. In a small saucepan set over low heat, add the chocolate, butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Stir constantly with a spatula until melted.

Use the lowest heat setting possible to prevent the chocolate from burning. It’s okay if the sugar looks grainy; it will dissolve while baking. Set the filling aside for 20 minutes to cool and thicken slightly.

Lightly flour a clean work surface and scrape the chilled dough onto it. Use a sharp knife or a dough scraper to divide the dough in half. Work with one piece of dough at a time, reserving the other, covered, in the refrigerator.

Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a rectangle, about 10 inches by 15 inches with the short edge nearest you.

If the dough is cold, it shouldn’t stick much. While rolling pause to move the dough regularly, lifting it off the work surface and adding a little extra flour if it starts to stick.

Pour half of the chocolate filling onto the dough and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the top of the rectangle furthest from you.

Roll the dough into a snug spiral, starting with the short end closest to you. Wrap the rolled dough with plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll and fill the second dough following the same method. Transfer the second dough to the freezer while you prepare the pans.

Grease two loaf pans generously with butter. Line the pans with a piece of parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on the long sides.

Don’t worry about the short sides, the parchment helps you easily lift out the loaves later. You can use either 9×5-inch or 8×4-inch loaf pans.

Remove one dough log from the freezer and slice it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife or dough scraper.

Pinch the ends together and twist the halves over each other a few times, twisting them together into a helix. The cut-side of the dough with the chocolate layers will be exposed.

Gently transfer the babka into one of the prepared pans and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.

Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Let the dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The dough should be puffy and will have risen to roughly 1/2-inch below the rim of the pan.

When the loaves are almost ready to bake, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap and bake the loaves for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. A toothpick inserted into the loaf should come out without any doughy bits sticking to it. Or you can check with an instant thermometer, which should read 190°F.

While the babkas are baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar and water to a simmer. Cook until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and set it aside.

As soon as the babkas are done baking, use a sharp knife or a skewer to pierce the tops of the babkas in several places.

Use a pastry brush to brush them generously with the syrup. It may seem like a lot, but use all of the syrup, dividing it equally between the two loaves. It keeps the bread moist and adds an attractive shine to the top.

Let the babkas rest in their pans for 10 minutes to cool slightly and absorb the syrup. Don’t leave them in the pans for longer than 10 minutes, or they may stick.

Use the parchment paper to lift out the loaves and set them on a wire rack to finish cooling. Allow the babkas to cool completely before slicing and serving. It’s difficult to wait, but the structure of the bread won’t set until it’s close to room temperature.