Chocolate Babka Recipe – Step by step photo tutorial

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A sweet yeast bread with chocolate swirled throughout – make this chocolate babka bread with step by step photos for complete success!

There is something about working with yeasted breads that I love. I don’t know what it is about it  A bit of mad science mixed with days gone by.  It is so easy to walk into a grocery store and pick up a loaf of bread.

So why make your own? It’s the sense of watching that yeast bubble, watching your dough rise and rise, rolling it out to a thin layer, just puts a smiile on my face.  I feel like a kid playing a tasty set of play-doh. Come on, tell me I’m not alone.

Now I’m well aware of the finicky-ness of yeasted breads. I mean you ARE working with a live creature (yes folks, yeast is alive if you didn’t know). And it does take a long time to reach those desired results of yeasty goodness. Oh but it’s so worth the wait.

The great thing about this chocolate babka bread, is the second rise can be done in your refrigerator overnight. The colder temperature slows the process down, so if you want you can prepare it ahead of time for the most part and then hit the hay to finish it until morning. Now that is my kind of bread.

What Kind Of Bread Is Babka?

If you are unfamiliar with babka, it is brioche like bread (meaning a rich buttery and eggy dough).

This version is the more traditional Jewish version where the dough is rolled into a thin rectangle covered in chocolate and and rolled.  The dough is then formed into a circle, and twisted, and placed in a loaf pan.

This bread is a bit addicting, so beware. It would be great for brunch, and leftovers? I’m sure a babka French toast wouldn’t be so bad either.

What Is Babka Made Out Of?

I adapted this bread recipe from Bake From Scratch. To make this chocolate babka recipe you will need to round up from your fridge and pantry the following items:

• All purpose flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Active Dry Yeast
• Vanilla Extract
• Whole Milk
• Eggs
• Butter (yup, two whole sticks and more for the filling…just get the stretchy pants ready)
• Chocolate
• Powdered Sugar
• Cocoa Powder
• Salt

Tips For Making This Chocolate Babka Recipe

• Measure your flour correctly. You can use my spoon and level method here in this post on how to measure your flour accurately. Or I always recommend using a kitchen scale for best accuracy.
• Make sure that your yeast is fresh. Check those expiration dates. If you’re not sure if your yeast is still alive, then give it a test by placing in warm water with a teaspoon of sugar to see if it bubbles. You can read more about yeast here –> What are the different kinds of yeast?
• Warm your milk. You want your milk warmed to 105-110°F so that it activates the yeast. Too cold and the yeast won’t be activated and start bubbling. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. 

How Do You Make Babka? Step By Step Instructions

Yes this can be a time consuming lovely bread recipe. But let’s break this down step by step.

Prepare two loaf pans with non stick cooking spray and parchment paper and set aside.

Start by combining all purpose flour, sugar, and active dry yeast in your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Then add the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Then add in the softened butter a tablespoon at a time. You want the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl. If it doesn’t after adding in all the dough, add a tablespoon of flour one at a time.

Then place the dough in a greased bowl to rise. Give it a turn to coat the dough. Cover the dough with a towel to rise…

Until the dough has doubled in size. Now you can refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or overnight.

Make The Chocolate Babka Filling

While the dough is rising, you can make the chocolate babka filling. Start by melting the butter and chocolate over a double boiler.

Once the butter and chocolate has melted, remove from the heat. And add in the cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. You want to let this cool before spreading this on your bread. 

Note: This filling makes way more than you need for these two loaves. So you can save it if you want for a second batch or try cutting the filling recipe in half. 

How To Shape Chocolate Babka 

First Cut The Dough In Half. I like to cover with plastic wrap the second half while I’m not using it. 

Then roll the dough into a 12 inch rectangle…

Brush the edges with an egg wash…

Spread the dough with the cooled chocolate filling. 

You don’t want the filling too thick otherwise it will ooze out as you roll it up.

Then roll up the dough, starting on the long side.

You want to then cut the log in half …

Then twist the two halves together. And place inside the prepare pan. Then repeat with the second loaf. You want to cover the pans with a towel and let rise for another 1/2 hour before baking. 

While the breads bake, you want to make a simple syrup. And when the breads are done, brush with the simple syrup.

And then once cool….slice. Enjoy. Repeat. Because why wouldn’t you?

Can I Make Chocolate Babka Ahead Of Time?

Yes you can! You can place the shaped loaves in the refrigerator overnight, before baking. Just cover with plastic wrap. 

Then when ready to bake, let rise at room temperature 30-45 minutes until puffy and double in bulk. And bake as normal. 

Does Babka Freeze Well?

Oh it sure does. You can freeze the dough or the baked loaves. If you freeze the dough you can have fresh hot out of the oven Babka whenever you want.

You can also freeze baked Babka. This recipe makes two loaves, so freezing one is a fantastic idea. Just allow it to cool completely, then wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and then place in a plastic bag or a layer of tin foil.

More Homemade Bread Recipes

• The Best Homemade Bread Recipe
• Monkey Bread (From Scratch!)
• Nutella Bread

If you like this chocolate babka recipe, let me know by leaving me a comment and star rating! I appreciate your feedback 🙂 

Print Recipe

Chocolate Babka

A babka that can be prepared the day before that is filled with layers of dark chocolate!

Servings: 2 loaves

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

Babka Dough

• 6 1/3 cups (886 grams) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (158 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) active dry yeast
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 3/4 cup whole milk warmed to 105-110oF
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 16 tablespoons (240 grams) unsalted butter softened

Egg Wash

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup (105 grams) sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Chocolate Filling

• 1 cup (173 grams) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped
• 3/4 cup (173 grams) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (108 grams) confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup (48 grams) cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, sugar, and yeast. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat until mixture comes together, 2 to 3 minutes. (If the mixture remains too dry and crumbly, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.)
• With mixer on medium speed, add butter, 1 tablespoon (14 grams) at a time, letting each piece incorporate before adding the next. Add salt, beating just until combined, about 3 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until a smooth and elastic dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (If dough does not pull away from the bowl, add more flour, 1 tablespoon [8 grams] at a time.)
• Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F) until doubled in size, 1½ to 2½ hours. After dough has risen, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Alternatively, the dough can be made one day in advance and the entire rise may take place in the refrigerator overnight.
• For egg wash: In a small bowl, lightly beat together egg and water.
• Spray 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper.
• Divide dough in half. On a heavily floured surface, roll half of dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Brush edges of dough with egg wash. Spread with half of Chocolate Filling, leaving a 1-inch border on long sides of dough. Starting at one short side, roll up dough, jelly-roll style, and press edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut roll in half lengthwise. Carefully twist dough pieces around each other, and place in prepared pan, cut sides up. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. Place prepared pans on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F) until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover with foil, and bake until a thermometer in center registers 190°F, about 35 minutes more.
• For simple syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar and ½ cup water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly. Pour simple syrup over warm loaves while still in pans. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

• Measure your flour correctly. You can use my spoon and level method here in this post on how to measure your flour accurately. Or I always recommend using a kitchen scale for best accuracy.
• Make sure that your yeast is fresh. Check those expiration dates. If you're not sure if your yeast is still alive, then give it a test by placing in warm water with a teaspoon of sugar to see if it bubbles. You can read more about yeast here --> What are the different kinds of yeast?
• Warm your milk. You want your milk warmed to 105-110°F so that it activates the yeast. Too cold and the yeast won't be activated and start bubbling. If it's too hot, it will kill the yeast. 

Adapted from Bake From Scratch