Quick Dessert Recipe to Make The Most Delicious and Comforting Babka

Been looking up how to make sweet bread recipes lately? Then you should try the babka, an European delight which combines a sweet bread, intricately braided, with a creamy filling, which can be chocolate, cinnamon, fruit preserve, or anything else that strikes the baker’s fancy. From carefully braiding the bread to making a delicious and flavourful filling, the babka is a testament to the baker’s skill. It’s also a comfort food like no other and is one of those versatile foods that can be enjoyed during a quiet breakfast with coffee or as indulgent dessert during family gatherings or other special occasions. So follow this detailed guide so you can learn how to make this delicious treat and we’re sure you’ll keep coming back to it.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 530 gm all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100 gm granulated sugar
• 10 gm instant dry yeast
• 3 large eggs
• 120 ml water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 150 gm unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and softened to room temperature
• Neutral oil (sunflower, canola) for dressing

For the chocolate filling:

• 200 gm bittersweet chocolate
• 115 gm unsalted butter
• 80 ml heavy cream
• 60 gm powdered sugar
• 30 gm unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch of salt

For the sugar syrup:

• 120 ml water
• 100 gm granulated sugar

Directions:

• In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, yeast and salt and beat using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a dough hook. Then add the eggs and water and mix on medium speed. Now put in the butter and beat until well incorporated. Keep beating till the mixture is smooth and shiny. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and drop it back into the middle. Beat for about 10 minutes until fully mixed in.
• Flour your hands and brush a large bowl with oil. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. Then leave it out at room temperature for an hour.
• Grease two loaf pans with oil and line them with parchment paper. Make sure the paper is a bit taller than the pans so you can use it to pull out the babka after it's baked. Set aside.
• In a pan, add the chocolate, butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and place on the stove on medium heat. Stir until it's melted and smooth. Then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Set aside to cool. As it cools, it will thicken and become spreadable.
• Divide the dough into two halves. Roll it out with a floured rolling pin and shape it into a rectangle. Spread the chocolate mixture over the rectangle.
• Roll up the rectangle from the long side and seal the end. Then use both hands to roll it out into the size of a thick cigar.
• Cut the roll into half along the long side, so that the filling is visible in both halves. Press the top of the two halves together. And then gently braid into a two-pronged plait, placing the right side over the left and then the left over the right and so on. Then place into a loaf pan. Then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for two hours. It should rise to double its size. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F or 177°C.
• Remove the plastic wrap and place the cakes in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. You’ll know it's done when they are golden brown on top.
• As it bakes, make the syrup. In a pan on medium heat, add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside.
• Bring the cakes out of the oven and brush the syrup over the cakes. Let the cakes cool, then remove from the pans and let it cool completely.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

Notes, tips and tricks:

• The babka will be good at room temperature in an airtight container for 24 hours or in the fridge for four days. It can also be frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.
• Be careful when spreading the chocolate onto the dough. The dough can easily tear so be gentle.