Babka is a yeast-risen eastern European cake that is perfect for nibbling over breakfast or brunch. It has a dark chocolate filling that is spiked with a little ground cinnamon. While it takes many steps to create it, the cake’s moist, deeply flavored brioche-like cake makes it worth the extra effort. If you want to save yourself a little time, substitute the chocolate filling with Nutella. It can keep at room temperature for up to four days, or frozen for up to two months.

Ingredients:

Babka Dough:
2 teaspoons of instant yeast
1/2 cup whole milk, slightly warm
1 teaspoon sugar
90g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour

Chocolate Filling:
100g unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup sugar
80g dark chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey

Method:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the yeast with milk and sugar and 1/3 cup (40g) of the flour. Let rest until small bubbles appear, about 10 minutes.
2. While the mixer is working with the dough hook, mix in the 90 grams of butter then the egg and salt. Gradually add the flour until it’s incorporated. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes.
3. Butter a 23cm loaf pan and line the bottom and up the sides with a piece of parchment paper.
4. To make the filling, melt the 100g of butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, then stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the cocoa powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a rectangle 30 x 50cm. Spread the chocolate filling over the surface of the rectangle all the way to the edges. Starting at one of the long ends of the rectangle, roll up the dough tightly so you have a log that’s around 50cm long.
6. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough completely in half lengthwise. With the cut sides facing up, overlap the end of one cut half over the other, then take the other cut half and fold it over the other, making sure the cut sides are always facing up. Continue making a rope-like formation overlapping and twisting the two halves of the dough together until the dough into one big twist.
7. Lift the twisted loaf and add it into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Put the loaf pan in a warm place, and let rise for about two hours, until it’s puffy and almost doubled in size.
9. While the dough is rising, make the syrup by bringing the water, sugar, and honey to a boil in a small saucepan. Let boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Bake the babka in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
11. Remove the babka from the oven and spoon or brush the syrup over the babka, let cool completely before lifting the babka out.

By: Kareem Abdelrahman