Featuring endless swirls of rich dark chocolate filling layered between buttery yeasted cake, this classic Dark Chocolate Babka Ring is a total showstopper.
Makes: 1 9 inch babka ring
Prep time: 20 minutes
Rise time: 2.5 hours
Bake time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 4½ cups unbleached all purpose flour 540 g
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast 10g
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 5g
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 12g
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted114g
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or any neutral oil 25g
- 1 cup whole or 2% milk 250g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 60g
Dark Chocolate Filling:
- ½ cup Scharffen Berger 100% Cacao Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 oz. Scharffen Berger 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate Baking Portions, melted
Simple Syrup:
- ¾ cup water 180g
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 160g
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Instructions:
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the bowl, then add the melted butter, eggs, avocado oil, milk, and granulated sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When the mixture becomes thick and sticky, start mixing by hand. Pinch to incorporate the ingredients.
- Begin kneading the dough in the bowl, by hand, until it becomes fairly smooth, and forms a ball. This should take about 3 minutes of kneading.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in volume.
Make the Filling:
- In a medium size bowl, add the softened butter, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, and melted semisweet chocolate Baking Portions.
- Use a spoon to combine until the mixture is totally smooth, with no lumps remaining. Set aside.
Shape the Babka Ring:
- Dust a large work surface generously with flour. Pour the risen dough out into the work surface, and use a floured rolling pin to to roll the dough out into a large rectangle that is approximately 20” long and 14” wide, 1/4” thick. Spoon all of the chocolate filling out onto the rectangle of dough. Use an offset spatula to gently smooth the filling out into an even layer, leaving a 1/2” border on all sides. With the long edge facing you, begin rolling the dough up tightly into a log.
- With the seam facing down, use a very sharp chef’s knife to slice the log in half lengthwise. Turn the cut side up, exposing the beautiful chocolate layers.
- Start twisting the babka up, keeping the cut side up. Trim the edges. Bring the top to meet the bottom, and create a ring, pressing the ends together to create a continuous circle.
- Line a 9” round cake pan with parchment paper. Gently lift the babka ring and place in the prepared cake pan. Cover the top loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and place in a warm place to rise for about an hour.
Make the Simple Syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, and let simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly, and all of the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brush the top of the risen dark chocolate babka ring with beaten egg, and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown, rotating the pan 180° halfway through so that the babka bakes evenly.
- Remove the babka from the oven and immediately brush with the warm simple syrup. Use all of the simple syrup. It slowly soaks in and keeps the babka very moist.
Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of LeAnne Shor, www.lionsbread.com.
