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Chocolate Babka Loaves

Lodge Cast Iron | December 9, 2020

Have you ever had sweet babka? Be prepared to be amazed! With a dark chocolate filling and a simple glaze poured over the hot babka loaves, this bread is a real treat for breakfast, afternoon tea, or really any time at all.

Level
Advanced
Prep Time
2-3 hours
Cook Time
45 minutes
Serves
20
Cook it With Our
Chocolate Babka Loaves Recipe

Ingredients

Babka Dough
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ⅓ cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dark Chocolate Filling
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons milk, warmed if needed
Glaze
  • ½ cup water
  • 6 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Babkas
  1. Heat milk to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.  
  2. Add remaining sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Using the dough hook, incorporate flour ½ cup at a time. Knead the dough on medium speed until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the dough from the bowl and form a ball. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap until doubled in size, 1-2 hours. At this juncture, make the chocolate filling. See the steps below.
  4.  Spray two cast iron Loaf Pans with Baker’s Joy. Cut two pieces of parchment paper into 8 x 10-inch pieces. Place the cut parchment paper inside each pan, overlapping up the long sides of the pan. Spray again with Baker’s Joy.   
  5. Punch down the dough and remove to a floured countertop. Cut the dough in half and cover one of the halves with plastic wrap. 
  6. On a floured countertop, roll the dough out into a rectangle, approximately 9 x 15 inches.
  7. Spread the dark chocolate filling over the dough, leaving about ½ inch around the edges.
  8. Roll the dough into a log and place seam-side down. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise and turn the halves so that the cut side is up. Starting at one end, pinch the loaves together and begin wrapping the halves around each other. Pinch the opposite end of the loaf together and tuck the pinched ends under the loaf.   
  9. Carefully place the loaf inside the prepared loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with second loaf. 
  10. Allow the loaves to rise in a warm spot for another 30 minutes.
  11. While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the center of the oven.  
  12. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 45 minutes.
  13. At this point, make the glaze. See the steps below. 
  14. Pour glaze evenly over the finished loaves and let sit for 10 minutes. If it feels like there’s too much glaze, then you’ve got the right amount. 
  15. Remove the loaves and continue to cool on a cooling rack. 
Filling
  1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth.
  3. Stir in the cocoa powder and sugar until incorporated.  Add milk, as needed, to thin the filling.
 
Glaze
  1. Simmer water and sugar over medium-low heat until dissolved.  Remove from heat.  
  2. Pour evenly over babka loaves before removing them from the loaf pans.  
     
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Contributed By: Lodge Cast Iron

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