Chocolate Babka

Ingredients

Milk 1.5 cups

Dry yeast 14 g

Sugar 1.75 g

Eggs 3

Egg yolks 2

Flour 6 cups

Salt 1 tsp

Butter 1.75 cups

Chocolate 1000 g

Cinnamon 2.5 tbsp

Cream 1 tbsp

For topping:

Icing sugar 1.6 cups

Flour 1.3 cups

Butter 12 tbsp

Cut the butter into pieces. Finely chop the chocolate. Pour warm milk into a bowl. Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for about 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and the egg yolks. Add the egg mixture to the yeast mixture and whisk. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour and salt. Add the egg mixture and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add 2 sticks of butter and mix with the dough hook until smooth, about 10 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Add the chocolate, remaining cup of sugar, and cinnamon to the large bowl and mix. Add 1 1/2 chopped sticks of butter and mix gently. Set aside. Grease a baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper.

Whisk the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of cream and set aside. To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour, and butter in a bowl with a fork until crumbly.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut into 3 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, keep the other 2 pieces covered with plastic wrap. On a floured surface, roll out one piece of dough into a circle 40 cm in diameter and 3 mm thick. Brush the edges with the egg and cream mixture.

Spread 1/3 of the chocolate filling evenly over the entire dough, leaving a 6 mm border around the edges. Brush the edges again if necessary.

Roll the dough into a roll and seal the edges.

Brush the entire roll with the egg mixture. Prepare the remaining 2 rolls in the same way. Twist the roll diagonally several times.

 Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

Sprinkle each roll with 1/3 of the topping. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.

Bake the babkas until golden brown, about 55 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Enjoy!