Chocolate Babka
- 1 12 cups warm low-fat milk, 110 degrees
- 2 (1/4 ounce) packets active dry yeast
- 1 34 cups sugar, plus
- 1 pinch sugar
- 3 whole large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 34 cups unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces at room temperature (plus more for bowl and loaf pans)
- 2 14 lbs semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
- 2 12 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Pour warm milk into a small bowl.
- Sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar over milk; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and egg yolks.
- Add egg mixture to yeast mixture, and whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour and salt.
- Add egg mixture, and beat on low speed until almost all the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Change to the dough hook.
- Add 2 sticks butter, and beat until flour mixture and butter are completely incorporated, and a smooth, soft dough thats slightly sticky when squeezed is formed, about 10 minutes.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few turns until smooth.
- Butter a large bowl.
- Place dough in bowl, and turn to coat.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Place chocolate, remaining cup sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl, and stir to combine.
- Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter until well combined; set filling aside.
- Generously butter three 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pans; line them with parchment paper.
- Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon cream; set egg wash aside.
- Punch back the dough, and transfer to a clean surface.
- Let rest 5 minutes.
- Cut into 3 equal pieces.
- Keep 2 pieces covered with plastic wrap while working with the remaining piece.
- On a generously floured surface, roll dough out into a 16-inch square; it should be 1/8 inch thick.
- Brush edges with reserved egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of the reserved chocolate filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border.
- Refresh egg wash if needed.
- Roll dough up tightly like a jelly roll.
- Pinch ends together to seal.
- Twist 5 or 6 turns.
- Brush top of roll with egg wash.
- Carefully crumble 2 tablespoons filling over the left half of the roll, being careful not to let mixture slide off.
- Fold right half of the roll over onto the coated left half.
- Fold ends under, and pinch to seal.
- Twist roll 2 turns, and fit into prepared pan.
- Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough and remaining filling.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush the top of each loaf with egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of streusel topping over each loaf.
- Loosely cover each pan with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place 20 to 30 minutes.
- Bake loaves, rotating halfway through, until golden, about 55 minutes.
- Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until babkas are deep golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Remove from oven, and transfer to wire racks until cool.
- Remove from pans; serve.
- Babkas freeze well for up to 1 month.
milk, packets active dry yeast, sugar, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, allpurpose flour, salt, unsalted butter, chocolate, ground cinnamon, heavy cream
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-babka-280398 (may not work)