Chocolate Babka
A butter-and-egg dough rolled around dark chocolate, split and twisted so every slice comes apart in ribbons — the one loaf built to be eaten with a fork, not toast.
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 45 min (plus overnight rise)
- Cook
- 45 min
- Written
Method
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Whisk the yeast and sugar into the warm milk and let stand until foamy on top, about 5 minutes.
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Beat in the eggs and half the flour until a smooth, thick batter forms.
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Mix in the remaining flour and salt, then knead until the dough comes together in a rough ball, about 5 minutes.
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Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, kneading each addition in fully before adding the next, until the dough is smooth, glossy, and pulls cleanly from the bowl, about 10 minutes more.
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Cover and refrigerate overnight — the dough won’t rise much in the cold, but it needs to firm up more than it needs to proof.
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Melt the chocolate and butter together, then stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth; let cool until spreadable but not stiff.
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Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick, spread the chocolate filling edge to edge, and roll up tightly into a log from the long side.
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Slice the log in half lengthwise, leaving the top inch or so intact, then twist the two halves over each other, cut side up, so the chocolate layers show.
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Tuck the ends under, settle the loaf into a greased pan, cover, and let rise at room temperature until puffy and nearly doubled, about 2 hours.
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Heat the oven to 350°F and bake until deep brown and a skewer through the center comes out clean of raw dough, 40 to 45 minutes, tenting with foil if the top browns too fast.
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Simmer the sugar and water for the syrup until the sugar dissolves, then brush it over the loaf while both are still hot.
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Cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before turning out and slicing.
Notes
The overnight chill isn’t just for flavor — this dough is heavy with butter and eggs, and it’s too soft to roll or twist straight after kneading. Cold, it holds its shape long enough to spread, roll, and cut without the filling squeezing out the sides. Use bittersweet chocolate, not milk; the dough is sweet enough on its own, and the loaf needs the bitterness to keep it from tasting like cake.
Wrapped well, a whole loaf keeps at room temperature for three days and freezes for a month, sliced or whole. Day-old babka is better toasted in butter than eaten plain — the crumb firms up overnight, and a hot pan brings the chocolate back to melting. </content> </invoke>