Back to postsThe Chocolate Babka That Almost Broke Me (But Was So Worth It)

The Chocolate Babka That Almost Broke Me (But Was So Worth It)

Real talk: babka humbled me. I went in thinking "it's just enriched bread with chocolate, how hard can it be?" and came out of attempt #1 with something that looked like a chocolate crime scene and tasted like sadness.



But here's the thing — when babka works, it WORKS. Those swirls of chocolate butter filling winding through soft, brioche-like bread? The streusel topping that shatters when you slice it? It's one of the most impressive things you can pull from your oven, and people will think you spent all day on it.



(You kind of did. But we don't need to tell them that.)



Ingredients — Dough




  • 3¼ cups (400g) all-purpose flour

  • ⅓ cup (65g) sugar

  • 2¼ teaspoons (7g) instant yeast

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 3 large egg yolks + 1 whole egg

  • ½ cup (120ml) warm whole milk

  • ½ cup (113g) softened butter, cut into pieces

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla



Ingredients — Chocolate Filling




  • 150g dark chocolate, chopped

  • ½ cup (113g) butter

  • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar

  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

  • Pinch of salt



Ingredients — Simple Syrup




  • ½ cup sugar

  • ½ cup water



The Method



The dough (Day 1): Mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add egg yolks, whole egg, milk, and vanilla. Knead until it comes together, then add the butter one piece at a time, kneading until each piece is absorbed. This takes patience — the dough will look like a greasy mess for a while before it suddenly comes together into something smooth and satiny. Keep going. It takes 10-15 minutes by hand, about 8 in a stand mixer.



Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Non-negotiable. Cold dough is easier to roll and shape.)



The filling: Melt chocolate and butter together. Stir in powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth. Let it cool to spreadable consistency.



Assembly (Day 2): Roll the cold dough into a large rectangle (about 14x20 inches). Spread the chocolate filling edge to edge. Roll it up tightly from the long side. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise — exposing all those chocolate layers. Now twist the two halves around each other, cut sides facing up, and fit into a greased loaf pan.



Let it rise for 1-1.5 hours until puffy.



Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes, tenting with foil halfway through if the top browns too fast.



While it bakes, make the simple syrup: heat sugar and water until dissolved. As SOON as the babka comes out of the oven, brush the syrup generously all over the top. This is what gives it that glossy, sticky, bakery finish.



What Went Wrong?




  • Dough won't come together with the butter: Keep kneading. Seriously. It takes longer than you think. The butter needs to be fully incorporated.

  • Filling leaked everywhere: Dough wasn't cold enough when you rolled it, or filling was too warm. Both should be cool.

  • Raw in the center: Underbaked. Cover the top with foil and give it another 10 minutes at 325°F.

  • Dry: Skipped the simple syrup. That syrup does more work than you think — don't skip it.



This is a weekend project, not a weeknight one. Plan for it. Block off a Saturday. But when you pull that babka out of the oven and see those chocolate swirls and that glossy, syrup-soaked top — you'll understand why I kept making it through 5 failures. Some things are worth the struggle.