How to make a babka

Chef Bruno shows us how to assemble, twist and bake a chocolate-cinnamon babka with beautiful swirls and streusel topping.

Ingredients

Filling

• 2 tbsp unsalted melted butter
• 3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of kosher salt

Streusel

• 2 tbsp unsalted melted butter
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• dash of kosher salt

Egg Wash

• 1 large egg
• 1tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

Use your favourite enriched yeast dough recipe. Place dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1½ – 2 hours. Once dough has risen, chill for 45 minutes. Turn out chilled dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 22x12" rectangle.​

In a double boiler (heat proof bowl fitted over a saucepan of gently simmering water), melt together chocolate, cocoa, butter, sugar, cinnamon and salt, until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool at room temperature.

Once filling has reached room temperature, using a small offset spatula, spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the dough all the way to the edges.

Working from the right to left side, roll up dough away from you, pulling lightly on it as you roll to maintain thickness.

Once dough is evenly rolled, cut the roll in half. Put halves side by side with the long side toward you. Place one half over the other to form an X.

Holding the dough at the intersection of the X, twist each of the ends twice, and then tuck the ends under slightly.

Transfer dough to greased loaf pan, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise 30 minutes.

While dough is rising make streusel by combining brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and 2tbsp of melted butter. Stir in flour with a fork until moist clumps form (streusel should look slightly wet). Whisk egg and cream in a small bowl and brush risen babka with egg wash.

Sprinkle a generous amount of streusel on the risen babka dough and bake for 1 hour until golden brown.

Transfer babka to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.