Chocolate Babka is a moist, yet flaky coffee cake that is traditionally made by twisting a yeast-based dough with chocolate filling. Babka is an Eastern European dessert often baked up with various fillings and toppings, among the most popular are cinnamon, chocolate, apple, and raisin. While making Chocolate Babka is no easy feat, this straight forward recipe produces a delicious coffee cake that will satisfy any chocolate lover or coffee enthusiast.
Inspired to make the best chocolate babka
I will admit, I’m often inspired to bake after seeing an amazing dessert or dish featured on my favorite tv shows. Babka was introduced to me through the comedy sitcom, Seinfeld.
In the episode known as, “The Dinner Party,” Jerry and Elaine stop off at the Royal Bakery (which was based on the real-life Royale Pastry Shop in NYC) to purchase a dessert so they don’t show up empty-handed at a dinner party. When Jerry and Elaine reach their turn, they discover the bakery has just sold out of chocolate Babka. The counter lady introduces them to another choice, the cinnamon Babka. Elaine immediately deems the cinnamon version a “lesser Babka.” But Jerry spouts off into one of his famous spiels about the potential merits of the cinnamon Babka, stating “Cinnamon takes a back seat to no Babka. People love cinnamon. It should be on tables at restaurants along with salt and pepper.” This is the same episode that features another NYC famous treat. While waiting for their friends to arrive with the car, Jerry eats a black and white cookie from the bakery, from which the famous Seinfeld phrase, “Look to the cookie” was born.
Video of how to make Chocolate Babka
Here’s a video showing you how to make the easy Chocolate Babka recipe step-by-step. You can subscribe to our YouTube channel for more yummy recipes by clicking here.
Tips for making the Chocolate Babka
Here are some tips if you decide to make chocolate Babka from scratch. The key is to allow the dough to rest in-between working with it, so it has a chance to develop more flavor. Read on for more tips and then see the complete recipe below.
- When activating yeast, make sure not to heat the milk too hot. A kitchen thermometer can be so helpful when you are heating water or milk to milk to make bread. Click here for our favorite thermometer.
- Once you have combined all the ingredients to make the dough, you can add tiny bits of flour to get the dough to release from the bowl. Also once you add the butter, it should be easier to work with.
- For the chocolate filling, you can use Nutella, or any kind of chocolate spread you love. With the chocolate filling recipe we provide, keep the spread at room temperature or warm it up just a bit if it becomes too thick.
- The signature of a chocolate Babka is the beautiful swirls of chocolate that appear in the bread. The video should help you see how to spread the chocolate, cut the dough, and twist it so you can achieve the correct look.
- Use parchment paper in a bread pan to make removing the chocolate Babka more easy.
Here’s the recipe to the Chocolate Babka
Chocolate Babka Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- In a sauce pan, heat half a cup of milk on low heat. Heat to just about 100 degrees, turn off heat and add one packet of active dry yeast (make sure milk is not above 110 degrees F when you add yeast, or the yeast will not activate if it's too hot. Sprinkle in a pinch of sugar. Set aside for about 10 minutes and allow yeast to activate and foam.
- You can either use a standing mixer with a dough hook, or use a bowl with a wooden spoon to bring dough ingredients together. In a bowl, combine 4 + 1/4 cups flour with 1 + 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp Vanilla, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, 1/3 cup Sugar, and 1 tsp Lemon Zest. Mix these ingredients together.
- Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Add in 4 eggs lightly beaten. Beat the dough mixture until it comes together. If it sticks to the sides of the bowl, add a bit of flour.
- Add 10 Tbsp room temperature butter and continue mixing. Bring the dough together and knead into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel for about 1-2 hours to let rise. After the dough has rested, you may punch the dough down and cover the bowl with saran wrap and refrigerate. You may opt to use the dough right away (I tend to use one half right away and refrigerate the other half overnight, and I do notice that the refrigerated dough is more flavorful and easier to work with because it has rested. Even just a few hours in the refrigerator will help to develop the dogh further.
- Prepare the chocolate filling by heating 3/4 cup sugar and 8 Tbsp butter in a saucepan. Continue stirring ingredients over low heat, Break apart and add one whole chocolate bar and continue mixing. Turn off the heat and add 3/4 cup cocoa powder. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Set aside to cool.
- After the dough has chilled and rested, cut the dough in half. Store one half in refrigerator. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the other half of the dough into a 10" x 16" rectangle.
- Line a bread pan with parchment paper and lightly grease. Spread half of the chocolate filling onto dough. Roll into a log starting from the long edge. With the seam side tucked under, cut down the middle of the entire length of the log roll. Twist the two halves together (like a braid). Then fold the dough in half or twist the dough one final time to shape into the 9" pan. Cover with a towel to let rise another hour.
- Prepare the second half of the dough the same as the first. Roll it out into a rectangle. Spread chocolate filling onto the dough. Roll it into a log from the long edge. Cut down the middle lengthwise. Then braid the dough and shape to fit into a parchment-lined bread pan. Allow to rest one hour.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a sharp knife. If it comes out clean, the Babka is done. Allow to cool inside the pan for a few minutes and then cool on a wire rack or plate. Enjoy!
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