“My Mother’s Ultimate Chocolate Babka” | The Nosher
FOR THE DOUGH
1 1/2 cups warm whole milk, approx. 110 degrees
1/2 ounce yeast (gold)
3/4 cup white sugar + a pinch for the yeast
3 large eggs, room temperature (save 1 egg for egg wash)
1 tablespoon heavy cream (for egg wash…you can substitute milk)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus more to grease bowl and loaf pans FOR THE CHOCOLATE FILLING
24 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate chips, 2 bags
2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, optional
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup turbinado or raw sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
Pour warm milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar over milk, stir lightly; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, vanilla, and egg yolks. Add yeast mixture and lightly mix to combine.
In a bowl combine flour and salt. Add to egg mixture, and beat on low speed until almost all the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Change to the dough hook. Add 2 sticks butter, and beat until flour mixture and butter are completely incorporated, and a smooth, soft dough that’s slightly sticky when squeezed is formed, about 10 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few turns until smooth. Butter a large bowl.
Place dough in bowl, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Place chocolate chips, ½ cup sugar. ½ cup raw sugar, walnuts and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor, process into coarse crumbs.
Add the 1 ½ sticks butter and process until well combined; set filling aside.
TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and butter. Using a fork, stir until fully combined with clumps ranging in size from crumbs to 1 inch.
TO ASSEMBLE:
Pre-heat oven to 350F. Generously butter your 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pan.
In a small bowl beat the remaining egg with the tablespoon of cream, set bowl aside
Punch back the dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Let rest 5 minutes. Cut into 3 equal pieces. Keep 2 pieces covered with plastic wrap while working with the remaining piece. On a generously floured surface, roll dough out into a 16-inch square; it should be about 1/8 inch thick.
Brush edges with egg wash. Crumble 1/3 (minus 2 tablespoons) of the chocolate filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Roll dough up tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch ends together to seal. Now, twist 5 or 6 turns.
Fold long roll in ½ and brush top of roll with egg wash. Carefully crumble 2 tablespoons more filling over the roll and twist folded roll a few more times.
Place twisted roll into prepared baking pan (it will be a little messy)
Brush the top of Babka with egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of streusel topping over each loaf. Loosely cover each pan with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place 20 to 30 minutes.
(This looks like an impossibly large amount of topping, but it all bakes into the babka and turns out great!)
Bake babkas, rotating halfway through, until golden, about 35 minutes test for doneness. Toothpick should come out clean of dough when done. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks until cool. Remove from pans; serve.
Yield: 3 babkas
Per Serving (excluding unknown items):
3391 Calories; 283g Fat (72.7% calories from fat); 53g Protein; 185g Carbohydrate; 32g Dietary Fiber; 364mg Cholesterol; 3859mg Sodium; 9g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 430mg Calcium; 15mg Iron; 1389mg Potassium; 1012mg Phosphorus.