Fudgy Chocolate Babka

• servings: 2 Large Babkas
• active time: 1 hour
• total time: 4 1/2 hours

Ingredients

Dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 cup cocoa

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Glaze:

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions

Combine flour, water, sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Heat up 1/2 cup of water in a pot until it is 105°F - 110°F. Add a sprinkle of sugar to the pot and then sprinkle the yeast on top. After 50 seconds, whisk it in. Then wait 10 minutes and add it to the stand mixer.

Using your bread hook, knead until the dough pulls away from the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until you get the right consistency (tacky, not sticky).

Cover the bowl with a damp towel and put in a warm place. Let it rise until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle on a flour surface. The dough should be thin, but thick enough that it won't rip.

In a mixing bowl, combine cocoa, sugar, oil, cinnamon. Spread it on the dough in a thick even layer. Sprinkle evenly with dark and semisweet chocolate chips.

Starting at the shorter end, roll the dough into a log. Cut the log straight down the middle.

Braid the two pieces around each other. Make sure the cut part with the chocolate filling is always face up. Place a parchment paper lined loaf pan and let it rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush babka with remaining egg.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until the top is a beautiful brown color.

Heat the remaining water and sugar in a pot to create simple syrup. Generously spoon the syrup over the babka and sprinkle the sesame seeds.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 403
• Total Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg
• Sodium: 169 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 23 g
• Protein: 7 g