Swirled Chocolate Babka
A richly swirled chocolate loaf with a glossy syrup glaze, twisted to show off ribbons of dark chocolate filling in every slice.
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Method
- 1
Make the dough. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, add the milk, eggs, vanilla and orange zest, and knead for 5 minutes. Add the butter a little at a time and knead for a further 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and chill overnight; the cold rest firms this soft, buttery dough so it's easier to roll thinly later.
- 2
Make the chocolate filling. Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat, stirring until smooth, then beat in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Leave it to cool until thick enough to spread without running - a little patience here stops the filling oozing out once the dough is rolled and twisted.
- 3
Roll and fill. Halve the cold dough and roll each piece out to 40 x 28cm. Spread each with half the chocolate filling, leaving a 1cm border clear, then roll up tightly from the long side into a log and chill both logs for 15 minutes to firm up.
- 4
Twist and prove. Cut each log in half lengthways to expose the chocolate swirl, lay the two halves cut-side up next to each other, twist them over one another and tuck in the ends before setting each twist into its tin. Cover and leave to prove for 1½-2 hours, until the dough has risen about 2cm above the rim of the tin.
- 5
Bake until set. At 180°C (160°C fan), bake for 35-40 minutes, covering with foil if the top browns too fast. The loaves are done when a skewer comes out free of raw dough and the centre reads 88-93°C, telling you the rich, buttery crumb is cooked through without drying out.
- 6
Glaze and cool. Boil the sugar and water together for 1 minute to make a thin syrup, then brush it generously over the hot loaves straight from the oven - this is what gives babka its glossy finish. Cool the loaves in their tins for 20 minutes before turning out onto the wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage
Store the cooled babka airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Warm briefly in a low oven before serving if you'd like it piping hot again. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook
- cling film
- small saucepan
- rolling pin
- sharp knife
- 2 x 900 g (23 x 13 cm) loaf tins lined with baking paper
- pastry brush
- instant-read thermometer
- wire rack
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 363 kcal |
| Protein | 6.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 43.1 g |
| of which sugars | 16.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 16.2 g |
| Fat | 18.7 g |
| of which saturates | 11 g |
| Fibre | 2.7 g |
| Salt | 0.42 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
