Description
Chocolate babka from Ina Garten weaves rich chocolate swirls through tender, buttery bread, creating a masterpiece of Jewish bakery tradition. Luxurious layers of sweet dough and dark chocolate invite home bakers to indulge in this irresistible treat that will elevate your weekend breakfast or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups bread flour
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 whole egg
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup blanched almonds
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- Create a lively dough mixture by dissolving yeast in warm milk (105-115°F or 40-46°C), then incorporate sour cream and eggs until smoothly blended.
- Gradually fold in flour, granulated sugar, salt, and pure vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until a uniform, creamy consistency develops.
- Incorporate softened unsalted butter into the dough, kneading gently until completely integrated and the texture becomes silky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a draft-free environment for approximately 90 minutes until it doubles in volume.
- Carefully transfer the expanded dough to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 3 hours or preferably overnight to enhance flavor development.
- Prepare the filling by finely grinding blanched almonds and granulated sugar in a food processor until achieving a sandy texture.
- Blend the almond mixture with room temperature butter, egg, dark rum, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, fresh orange zest, and almond extract until a smooth, cohesive filling forms.
- Refrigerate the filling for 60 minutes to allow flavors to meld and consistency to firm slightly.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangular shape approximately 1/4 inch (0.6 centimeters) thick.
- Spread the chilled almond filling evenly across the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Sprinkle chopped dark chocolate over the filling, then carefully roll the dough into a tight cylinder, sealing the edges.
- Place the rolled dough in a greased 9×5 inch (23×13 centimeters) loaf pan, cover, and permit a second rise for approximately 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare an egg wash by whisking one egg.
- Brush the risen dough with egg wash and generously sprinkle streusel topping across the surface.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the bread achieves a deep golden brown color and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Dough transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious, soft bread with incredible texture and depth of flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients blend smoothly, creating a more consistent dough texture.
- Slow proofing allows yeast to develop deep, complex flavors that make this babka extraordinary.
- Chilling the dough overnight develops complex flavors and helps create a more manageable, less sticky consistency for rolling.
- Refrigeration strengthens gluten and makes the dough easier to handle during shaping.
- Chocolate distribution throughout the swirls ensures every bite is decadently delicious.
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg