Chocolate Babka version 2.0

Prep

   25 mins. to 35 mins.

Bake

   50 mins. to 60 mins.

Total

   4 hrs 45 mins. to 6 hrs 15 mins.

Yield

   2 loaves

Dough

   1 cup lukewarm water

   1 tsp sugar

   4 large eggs

   6 cups BREAD Flour

   2 tablespoons instant yeast

   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

   1/2 cup sugar

   2 1/2 teaspoons coarse Kosher salt

   10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, cooled to warm

   1 tablespoon vanilla extract

   2 tsp vegetable oil to coat rising bowl.

cooking pan:

    standard bread-loaf pan. cut parchment paper to length of pan. width of paper is width of pan + twice height of pan + 2". Tri-fold so that inserted into pan sides and bottom are covered and paper rises about 1" over each edge. Do not grease pan.

   

Filling

   1 cup sugar

   1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

   2/3 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa, Triple Cocoa Blend, or the cocoa powder of your choice, Dutch-process or natural

   1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee

   1/2 cup melted butter

   2 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips, mini chips preferred

   

Topping

   4 tablespoons melted butter

   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

   2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

   1/2 cup bread flour

Instructions

 

   In a large bowl put  1 cup very warm water. Add 1 tsp suger: dissolve. Sprinl;e in 2 TBS yeast. Stir. Let sit for 10 minutes to proof.

   Add vanilla extract to beaten eggs. Add melted butter to eggs. Add cinnamon to eggs. Add all to large bowl. Stir well.

   Add 2 cups of bread flour to bowl and stir thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup sugar and stir well Add 2 more cups flour, stir well. Add salt. Stir well.

       

   Add 1 cup flour and stir well. Scraping bowl and spoon, add additional flour to make moist dough. Turn onto kneading surface and let rest. covered, for five minutes. Add additional flour and knead until soft, p;iable dough is formed: moist and elastic.

 

   Add 2 tsp oil to bwol and add in ball of dough, coat all surfaces. Cover with towel, put in warm place and let rest and rise for an hour or more.

   Turn out dough on lightly floured surface. Cut in half. Cover 1/2 with towel and set aside..

   To make the filling: Combine the sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, and instant coffee/espresso. Stir in the melted butter. The mixture will look grainy and slick; that's OK.

   

   Shape each half of the dough into a 9" x 18" to 20 ", 1/4"-thick rectangle.

   Smear each piece of the dough with 1/3 the filling, coming to within an inch of the edges. Save 1/3 for topping.

   Put aside 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Scatter half the chopped chocolate/chips over each piece

  

   Remove parchment paper from pan and set down near-by.

   Roll up the long edge to form 18-20" log. Put edge down. Fold in half to form 9-10" "U" shape. PIck it up and twist it 3-4 times. Place to down on parchment paper. Using edge os paper place the loaf into pan.

   Repeat above step for second loaf.

 

   Cover with towl and let rise about and hour in a warm place.    

   Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 300°F (Yes, 300!). Make the topping: pour the butter over the dry ingredients and mix until uniform.

   Drizzle remaining chocolatefilling over the top of each loaf. Cut a deep length-wise gash into each loaf. Sprinkle half the topping on each loaf.

   Bake the bread for 30 minutes. Check. Bake an aditional 15 to 25 minutes. Check for done-ness a total of 45 to 55 minutes; the loaves should be a deep-golden brown. and hollow to tap.

   Remove the loaves from the oven, and immediately loosen the edges with a heatproof spatula or table knife. Let the loaves cool for 10 minutes, then turn them out of the pans onto a rack to cool completely.

   Slice the babka and serve it at room temperature; or rewarm individual slices briefly in a toaster, if desired. Store any leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.