Chocolate Babka, Chocolate yeast cake

Doesn't that look delicious?  If you love the combination of chocolate and bread.... you will love this recipe.

I must warn you though, this recipe has chocolate oozing all over and under it. So it's a  bit messy on the hands but absolutely delicious on the tongue. 

I must apologize that since I have made quite a few bread recipes for you so far, I did take the liberty and skipped the steps on how I made the dough.

For the bread dough

120 ml or  1/2 cup warm milk
60 ml or  1/4 cup warm cream
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/4 cup honey or 6 tbsp Sugar
2 large eggs

80 gram / 6 tbsp - melted Butter
420 grams/ 31/2 cups All purpose flour 
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

For the Chocolate Spread
200 grams dark / Bittersweet Chocolate Chopped ( I use 80% coco)
1/4 cup cream
50 grams Butter
50 grams sugar - (Note: if you use less than 80% coco reduce or omit the sugar)

For the Egg wash
1 egg yolk + 2 tbsp cream

Topping 
2 tbsp simple syrup (just heat 2 tbsp sugar in 6 tbsp water until sugar is dissolved)


Make the dough -
Using the recipe for the dough above - You can use the mixer method as I showed you when making the Soft Burger Buns  or you can use the hand method as I showed you when making the Classic White Bread

Mix the milk, cream, yeast, honey, eggs butter, cinnamon. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes.  Then add salt, mix into the flour. Knead to form a soft, smooth and elastic dough.

Place in a oiled bowl, cover with cling/plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until double in volume. About an hour.

After an hour. Punch down and let rice one more time for an hour again.

Make the Chocolate Spread.
Place the chocolate, cream, butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% power for one minute. Stir well, Continue to place in microwave on 50% power for 20 secs at a time until all the chocolate has melted. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
Set aside to cool. 


Assemble 

Roll out the dough on to a flour surface, about 1/8 inch. thick

Spread the cooled chocolate mixture on to the surface of the dough as shown leaving 1/2 inch all around to seal.

Roll like a jelly roll - seam side up.

Cut the roll like so in the middle dividing it into two. This is a bit messy so work carefully.

Pleat the two parts into each other like so. l

Place into a greased loaf pan. Cover with cling wrap and let rest in a warm place for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Bake
When almost double in volume - brush with the egg wash and bake in a preheated oven at 180C / 380F for about 30 minutes.
Important - About 20 minutes into baking. Brush the 2 tbsp of simple syrup on the top surface of the loaf with a pastry brush. This will add moisture and stop the top from getting burnt.


When baked completely - cool for 10 minutes. Invert on to a serving platter before it cools completely, once the chocolate cools it will be difficult to get it out of the pan.

Sorry this was the picture I took when it was on the table - didn't come out too good..sorry. 

I could not get a piece of the cut Babka for you either. It was gone as soon as it was cut. I will however update and get you a picture of the delicious inside when I make it again.

 I do hope you try this recipe.

Thanks for stopping by.