This Eastern European pastry is a cinnamon roll with chocolate icing and raisins. It has become an iconic Jewish baking staple, but in some regions it’s also known as kipferl or babka. The dough for this bread is made of yeast-risen flour, sugar and butter that creates the most delectable taste – enjoyable warm from the oven or cold from the fridge!
The “cinnamon babka” is a sweet, spiced cake made with cinnamon and chocolate. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion.
Raise your hand if the thought of preparing bread makes you nervous! I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I Listen, I’m a novice baker. I majored in art and have never taken any cooking classes. I taught myself how to build things through trial and error, as well as viewing YouTube tutorials. And each time I see a yeasted dough recipe, I think to myself, “Oh but…maybe they’ll want chocolate chip cookies instead,” and I flee. But I’ve been trying to lean in a little more to what terrifies me recently, and Cinnamon Chocolate Babka is one of them.
Do you have a fear of making bread? How about this one, which seems to be really complicated and is loaded with chocolate and cinnamon? HAHA. I know, I should’ve begun with something simpler, but it’s either go big or go home, right? I was hot and bothered the whole time, but this Cinnamon Chocolate Babka came out perfectly the first time.
You can do it, too, if I can.
Cinnamon Babka vs. Chocolate Babka
If you’ve never had babka before, you’re undoubtedly wondering what makes this braided bread so wonderful. This delectable delight, pronounced ‘Bahb-kah,’ is a thick bread that is frequently swirled with either chocolate or cinnamon sugar filling.
You may not know this about me, but I truly despise making choices. As a result, I strive to select both whenever feasible. While this may not usually work in my advantage (especially when it comes to buying), it did in this case. Chocolate and cinnamon are a marriage made in heaven. The combination of the two tastes enhances the bread’s flavor and makes it more addictive.
Our babka was baked using our favorite cinnamon roll bread, which is light, fluffy, aromatic, and delightfully moist. Then, using butter, finely chopped chocolate, and cinnamon, we prepared a delectable cinnamon and chocolate filling.
I would have devoured the whole bread if Tilly hadn’t licked it while we were photographing it.
Chocolate babka instructions
The bread used to create this cinnamon chocolate babka is a “enriched dough,” which means it’s a yeast bread baked with butter, eggs, and sugar, as described on The Great British Baking Show. It also has a reputation for being a bit difficult. So we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you make this babka run as smoothly as possible.
- Make that your yeast is still alive and well by dissolving it in warm milk. The yeast should continue to bubble and froth, indicating that it is still active. While this step isn’t required, I usually feel better if I double-check.
- Hand-knead your dough: Kneading dough is a lot of fun. If you’ve got any bottled-up rage or irritation, acquire some bread dough and knead it until you’ve worked it all out. The advantage of kneading by hand is that you can’t overdo it. When I make babkas by hand, I feel like I have a lot more control over the quality of the dough than when I make them by machine, which may easily overwork the dough and result in a flat or tough babka.
- Refrigerate your rolled dough before cutting: This will make things a lot simpler for you. To help keep the babka filling in, place the dough in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before braiding and swirling.
I challenge you to do one activity this week that takes you out of your comfort zone. Making a job change, finally booking that trip, or enrolling in an extreme gym class are all possibilities. Perhaps preparing this Cinnamon Chocolate Babka is the answer. You’ve got this, whatever it is.
Bbs, have a fantastic weekend!
XX
Sofi
- Sofi is the author of this piece.
- Time to Prepare: 30 minutes
- 30 minutes to prepare
- 1 hour total time
- 1 loaf 1x yield
- Breads is a category of baked goods.
- Baked method
- European cuisine
- Sofi is the author of this piece.
- Time to Prepare: 30 minutes
- 30 minutes to prepare
- 1 hour total time
- 1 loaf 1x yield
- Breads is a category of baked goods.
- Baked method
- European cuisine
Scale:
1x2x3x
- Sofi is the author of this piece.
- Time to Prepare: 30 minutes
- 30 minutes to prepare
- 1 hour total time
- 1 loaf 1x yield
- Breads is a category of baked goods.
- Baked method
- European cuisine
Ingredients
to make the dough
- 2/3 gallon whole milk
- 2 1/4 tablespoons active yeast (instant)
- 1/3 cup sugar, granulated
- Rodelle Vanilla Bean Paste, 2 tblsp
- 2 big room-temperature eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)
in order to fill
- 5 tblsp butter (unsalted)
- 8 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup sugar (white)
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
to make the dough
- In a standing mixer equipped with a dough hook or paddle attachment, combine milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast. Allow for a 5-minute rest period. The yeast should froth, indicating that it is active.
- Combine the remaining sugar, vanilla bean paste, eggs, and flour in a mixing bowl. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and let the mixture come together. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and knead it for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the gluten has established and the dough is less sticky. It’s worth noting that this is a wetter dough, so it’s fine!
- Coat a large mixing bowl with oil and add the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 1 hour to proof.
in order to fill
- In the meanwhile, prepare the filling. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, then add the finely chopped chocolate and whisk to blend and melt. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt well. Before using, let the mixture cool fully.
for putting together
- Set aside a 9 by 4 inch loaf pan sprayed with butter and flour or parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a big area that has been well floured. The dough should have about doubled in size at this point. When rolling it thin, roll it out to roughly a 10-inch width (the side nearest to you) and as long in length (away from you) as you can.
- Cover the dough equally with the chocolate and cinnamon mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Water the end that is farthest away from you. Form a long, tight cigar out of the dough and filling. Glue the dampened end of the log to the log. Transferring the log to a lightly dusted baking dish and freezing it for 10 to 15 minutes made cutting it neatly in half a lot simpler.
- Remove the remaining 1/2-inch of the log from either end. Gently cut the log in half lengthwise and place the cut sides up on the counter next to each other. Gently pinch the top ends together. Lift one side over the other, twisting it together and attempting to keep the cut sides out (since they’re lovely). Don’t worry if this step produces a mess; just place the twist into the prepared loaf pan as best you can. My log was long enough to “S” within the pan in one batch, so I nested the cut ends in the holes. Don’t worry if you don’t (and instead opt to bake them individually in a small pan, like I did with previous batches), the dough will fill in any gaps by the time it’s through rising and baking.
- Cover with a moist tea towel and let to rise at room temperature for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Bake the bread and let it cool. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Remove the cloth and put the loaf on the middle oven rack. Bake for 30 minutes, although testing for doneness at 25 minutes isn’t a bad idea. A skewer pushed into an underbaked babka may feel stretchy/rubbery on the interior and may return with dough stuck to it. When the cake is done, there will be practically no resistance. If your babka need extra time, return it to the oven for 5 minutes at a time and re-test. You may cover it with foil if it browns too rapidly.
- Make the syrup while the babka is baking: Bring the sugar and water to a low heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and let it aside to cool slightly. Brush the babka with the syrup as soon as it comes out of the oven. It may seem to be excessive, but it will taste perfect — shiny and juicy. Allow to cool halfway in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before eating (a cute advice from Ottolenghi – don’t worry, we know you’ll eat it warm).
- Make ahead: Babka may be stored at room temperature for a few days. I’d freeze it if it was longer. They are quite easy to freeze and thaw.
Chocolate, cinnamon, cinnamon chocolate, babka, enriched dough, european, breakfast, snack Keywords: chocolate, cinnamon, cinnamon chocolate, babka, enriched dough, european, breakfast, snack
Watch This Video-
The “chocolate babka recipe ina garten” is a sweet dessert that is made with cinnamon and chocolate. This cake is traditionally eaten on Shabbat, but can be enjoyed any time of the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between babka and challah?
A: Babka is a cake made of yeast dough, which could be either sweet or savory. Its usually topped with almonds and sometimes walnuts. Challah on the other hand is a flat bread that can also have some topping like chocolate chips.
Is babka a bread or cake?
A: It is a type of cake, but it is typically made with yeast dough and not bread.
What does chocolate babka taste like?
A: Chocolate babka tastes similar to a traditional chocolate cake. It is made with butter, flour and sugar mixed together then placed in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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