Warm Chocolate Babka For A Special Weekend Bake

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 420 g bread flour, 60 g granulated sugar, 7 g fine sea salt, and 7 g instant yeast. Warm 180 ml whole milk to 100 °F (it should feel like a baby’s bath). Whisk in two large eggs, 40 ml honey, and the finely grated zest of half an orange. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix on low until a shaggy mass forms, 1–2 minutes. With the mixer still on low, add 85 g softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, waiting until each piece disappears before adding the next. Once incorporated, increase to medium and knead 8 minutes. The dough will start sticky, then crawl up the hook and slap the sides of the bowl; it should be smooth, elastic, and just barely tacky. If it still feels gluey after 8 minutes, add flour a teaspoon at a time up to 15 g, but err on the side of sticky—over-flouring leads to dry babka.

Lightly oil a medium bowl, shape the dough into a smooth round, and place it seam-side down. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 60–90 minutes depending on kitchen warmth. Meanwhile, make the filling: in a double boiler, melt 120 g chopped dark chocolate with 30 g butter, stirring until glossy. Off heat, whisk in 25 g Dutch-process cocoa, 50 g powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp vanilla. Cool to a spreadable, peanut-butter consistency—if it firms up too much, thin with a teaspoon of milk.

Once doubled, punch the dough down, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24. Cold dough is infinitely easier to roll and shape, plus the slow fermentation develops complex, wine-like notes that you can’t achieve in a same-day bake.

On a lightly floured counter, roll the chilled dough into a 40 × 28 cm rectangle, long side facing you. Spread the chocolate filling evenly, leaving a 1 cm border along the far edge. Sprinkle 60 g mini chocolate chips for extra molten pockets. Starting with the near edge, roll into a tight log, seam-side down. Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and freeze 10 minutes—this firms the log so it slices cleanly.

Using a sharp knife, halve the log lengthwise to expose the layers. Lay the two strands side by side, cut-side up. Pinch one set of ends together, then cross the strands to form an X. Continue crossing left over right, keeping the cut sides facing up so the chocolate spirals remain visible. Tuck the ends underneath and transfer to a greased 9 × 4-inch loaf pan. Don’t worry if it looks messy—babka is beautifully rustic.

Cover loosely with a damp tea towel and let rise until the dough peeks 1 cm above the rim, 45–60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C) with rack centered. Gently brush the surface with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp milk) for a burnished crust.

Bake 40–45 minutes, rotating halfway. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil. You’re aiming for an internal temperature of 190 °F (88 °C). While the loaf bakes, prepare the syrup: simmer 60 ml water with 60 g sugar and ½ tsp vanilla until dissolved; cool slightly.

The moment the babka emerges, brush generously with vanilla syrup. It will seem like too much, but the loaf drinks it up, creating that signature moist, glossy crumb. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack. Serve barely warm or at room temperature—though I defy you to resist tearing into it while it’s still too hot to handle.