Chocolate Brioche Babka

Chocolate Brioche Babka

If there’s one thing I love baking is bread, especially when it’s filled with chocolate. There’s an art to baking bread, and I’m by no means an expert, but you can bet this Chocolate Brioche Babka recipe is absolutely delicious!

If you’ve made babka before you probably know it’s a labor of love. Not because it’s hard, but you need patience. The dough has to rest overnight, and then 2 more hours once it’s been filled and braided, but it’s oh so worth it!

Ingredients

For the Brioche dough

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to 110F
• 2 eggs + 1 yolk
• 8 tbsp unsalted Danish Creamery Butter (1 stick)
• 2 tsp sea salt

For the Chocolate Orange filling

• 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 300g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), chopped
• 2 sticks unsalted Danish Creamery Butter, diced
• 1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
• 2 tbsp espresso, optional
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp orange extract
• 1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Instructions

For the Brioche dough

1. In a bowl, combine the yeast and warmed milk (110F) and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes

2. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the yeast mixture,  flour, salt, and sugar, and mix to combine.

3. Add the eggs and egg yolk, and continue mixing on low for 5 minutes or until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

4. Add the softened butter and mix for another 15 min, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

5. Lightly oil a separate glass bowl. Form the brioche dough into a bowl and transfer to oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Dough should double in size.

6. Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide in half (I didn’t weigh it, but you can if you want to get exact loafs).

7. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll out one half of the dough to 11″x15″, approximately.

8. Using an offset spatula, spread half the chocolate filling, careful to not spread all the way to the edges. Leave about 1/2 inch border. Starting at the long edge nearest you, tightly roll up the dough rectangle into a tight log. Repeat with the other dough half.

9. For a traditional babka loaf, using a sharp knife cut through the middle length-wise. Place one piece of the though over the other, and braid together. Place the babka in a 9×4 or 10×5 inch pan (greased and lined), cover and allow to rest for 2 hours. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

10. For a brioche loaf, cut the log in half crosswise. Place one half over the other, forming a cross. Twist to form a spiral and transfer to a grease and lined loaf pan. Cover and allow to rest for 2 hours.

11. Preheat the oven to 350F, and brush edges of dough with egg wash.

12. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.

13. Serve warm with spreadable butter, optional but delicious.

For the Chocolate Orange filling

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso, cinnamon and salt. Once butter has melted and all the ingredients are combined, remove from heat. Add the orange extract and chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and the mixture is fully incorporated.

Allow to cool for 15-10 min.