Chocolate Babka 30/60

On a recent weekend, before this hot, humid weather, I suggested we tackle baking a chocolate babka. Rem needed no convincing. We read a few recipes,  watched a few videos, and jumped in.

We split it up, making and kneading the dough on day one, and making the filling, plus shaping and baking the loaf on day two.

Our home smelled so wonderful while the babka was baking.  Have I said this here before, that one characteristic of heaven should be that it smells like baking bread? Well, maybe the aroma of baking bread for everyday, and chocolate babka on weekends and holidays!

The recipe, from Bon Appetit, suggested we let it cool completely before slicing. But who are they kidding? In one of the babka videos we enjoyed, that showed the process of kneading, filling, and assembling the loaf, the narrator said that they preferred to tear the babka apart.

This is what we did, while it was still warm, and it was absolutely delicious!

We made a few changes to the Bon Appetit recipe, which I include here in case you want to try this for yourself.

• We used 3/4 cup additional flour – the dough was VERY soft.  You could try it with 1/2 cup but ours was delicious.  Plus more for surface.
• We used semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet.  In my opinion, it was the PERFECT balance with the dough.
• We omitted the struesel topping, which is the last 4 ingredients in the second half of the recipe (Filling and Assembly), after kosher salt.We did a sugar syrup instead: 3 T sugar, 2 2/3 T water, simmered in small saucepan until sugar is dissolved.  Cool.  Brush on babka just out of the oven.
• We worked on the recipe over two days – leaving the dough in the fridge overnight where it says “chill 45 minutes.” It worked just fine.
• After rolling the dough with the filling, put it on baking sheet (or something you can fit in freezer – I used a plastic cutting board) and chill  for 15 minutes.  This was a tip from another recipe and made the next steps easier. 

This is the halfway point in my 60 New Things Project.  Thanks for stopping by!