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Chocolate Babka Recipe by Baker Daniel Jordà
Daniel Jordà's chocolate babka is a sweet and fluffy bread with a decadent chocolate swirl, made with the perfect combination of all-purpose flour and high-strength flour to achieve a smooth and airy texture.
chocolate
oven
cake
dessert
sweet
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • 125 gStrong flour
  • 125 gSuper strong flour (type Manitoba or Rimacinata)
  • 80 gMilk
  • 60 gwater
  • 50 gButter
  • 5 gSalt
  • 50 gSourdough starter (or 15 grs of fresh Paris yeast)
  • 15 gSugar
  • Stuffing
  • Milk chocolate
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Chocolate chips
  • 1 beaten egg for brushing
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
398 kcal
Protein
12 g
Fat
15 g
Carbohydrates
53 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Preparation

  • Mix all the dough ingredients, except the whole amount of water (which should be added gradually, as the dough requires it). Note: The amount of water depends on the type of flour you use.
  • Knead the dough vigorously for about 10 minutes. Then, let the dough rest for 20 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.
  • Perform a second vigorous knead for 5 minutes and fold the dough in three folds (as if folding a paper into thirds). Let it rest for 20 minutes.
  • Repeat the previous process with a third vigorous knead for 5 minutes and again fold the dough into three folds. Let it rest for another 20 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each portion into a smooth ball.
  • Stretch each portion of dough from five different points, bringing each tip towards the center to reform a ball. Ensure the balls are well-tensed.
  • Place the balls in the refrigerator and let them rest for 45 minutes to ensure the dough relaxes properly.
  • Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and homogeneous.
  • Lightly grease the countertop with a bit of oil to prevent the dough from sticking.
  • Place the two balls of dough on the countertop and, using a rolling pin, shape each ball into a rectangle. Then, use your hands to finish stretching the edges to make them as rectangular as possible. Note: The longer the rectangle, the more twists you can give when coiling it, resulting in a more beautiful final product.
  • Grease a loaf pan with melted butter to ensure easy removal after baking.
  • Fill the pastry rectangles with the melted chocolate, without overfilling. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and scatter a good amount of chocolate chips.
  • Roll one of the pastries towards yourself, taking care to slightly fold in both ends to prevent the filling from spilling out the sides.
  • Once the pastry is completely rolled up, gently elongate it by rolling it on the countertop.
  • Repeat the same process with the other pastry portion.
  • Place one roll on top of the other, crossing them right in the middle to form an "X".
  • Take the two lower ends and twist them to make a braid. Then, do the same with the other ends.
  • Transfer the braid to the prepared buttered mold.
  • Let the braid rise until it doubles in size or fills the mold, in a warm place free from drafts.
  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC half an hour in advance to ensure an even temperature.
  • Brush the braid with beaten egg before baking to achieve a shiny finish.
  • Bake the braid at 180ºC for about 30 minutes, until it is golden and cooked inside (originally said 18 minutes).
Recommendations & Tricks
  • To calculate the necessary amount of water, start by adding 60% of the total weight of the flours, and gradually increase until the dough is slightly sticky but manageable. Adjust according to the type of flour.
  • Knead the dough intensively for 10 minutes until achieving an elastic texture. Cover it and let it rest on a lightly floured surface for 20 minutes.
  • After the first rest, knead again for 5 minutes and fold the dough into three parts as if you were folding a letter. Cover and let rest for another 20 minutes.
  • Perform a third kneading for 5 minutes. Fold the dough in three parts again, cover it, and let it rest for another period of 20 minutes.
  • Cut the dough into two equal portions using a lightly floured lime or spatula. Weigh the portions to ensure equality.
  • Stretch each portion from five different points, folding each point finely to the center, forming a tight, uniform ball.
  • Place the balls inside a covered bowl and let them rest in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to facilitate handling later.
  • Melt the chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning, and keep it warm until use.
  • Lightly grease the working surface with oil to prevent the dough from sticking during rolling.
  • Take the dough balls, place them on the greased surface, and roll with a rolling pin to obtain a rectangle of approximately 30x40 cm. Use your hands to finish smoothing the edges.