Chocolate Babka

A Jewish sweet braided bread loved by all, babka is stuffed, rolled, then baked with a variety of fillings. Chocolate babka tends to dominate the flavor popularity contest, but there's a certain appeal to a cinnamon babka that just can't be denied—which is why this recipe snuck both into the mix.

The bread.

Adapted from our buttery bioche bread, the dough here is lush and soft with just the right amount of springiness. It's lightly sweetened, properly salted, and uses one egg yolk in addition to a whole egg for a touch of extra richness and creaminess. We're using instant yeast but an equal amount of active dry yeast will get the job done just as well.

The filling

The platonic ideal of babka must tread a fine line between bread and pastry, embodying the best of both realms. Having enough sweetened filling tucked between the folds of the brioche is key to achieving that balance: a babka with a scant amount of chocolate is a sad babka indeed. To achieve feathery light layers of chocolate and brioche, we first brush the dough with a tablespoon of melted butter, then slather on a modest layer of chocolate ganache, then top with chocolate chips. This recipe calls for a little bit of lemon zest in the chocolate filling to balance out the sweetness with a fresh citrus lift—you could substitute with orange zest or eliminate altogether for unadulterated chocolate explosion.

The streusel

Growing up in NYC, Green's babka was (and still is) the golden standard of babka for me. Even though in recent years Breads Bakery has stolen the show on the babka scene, my allegiance still lies with my childhood favorite. Sold in so many delicatessens across the city, at Whole Foods, and repackaged for retail at landmark establishments like Katz's and Russ & Daughters, this OG babka's allure is plain to see: rich, moist, and densely fudgy on the inside, hugged by an abundance of light, crumbly streusel that falls off everywhere, gracing every single bite.

The streusel in our recipe is simple: equal parts flour and powdered sugar spiked with cinnamon and a pinch of salt to amplify the flavor, cut together with just enough butter to barely hold it all together. After brushing the loaf with a lightly sweetened egg wash, sprinkle the streusel on evenly across the top of the loaf and gently press it into the dough to secure it into the loaf. 

The bake

A lot of babka recipes call for baking at 350° but a slightly higher temperature will ensure a lightly caramelized exterior crust while maintaining a delicate and tender interior crumb. We recommend baking this loaf at 375° for about 45 minutes if you want a fudgier babka, or go for a little while longer, about 50 to 55 minutes, if you want the inside to be a little more dry and set. Kept at room temperature in an airtight container or bag, this loaf will stay as moist as the day it was baked for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, slice up the loaf once it's cooled to room temperature and freeze for up to 2 months.

If you've made this recipe, please leave us a comment and rating down below to let us know how you liked it!