Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, salt, eggs, and warm milk with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms. Add the butter and knead it by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.The dough should feel soft and a little tacky to the touch, but not sticky. It's ready when it stretches thin without tearing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring frequently until it becomes smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. It should be thick and easy to spread, like a rich frosting, but not runny.
- Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat it over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the dough to release air bubbles. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick.Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough lengthwise in half to create two 6×18-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 6 equal pieces, creating 12 pieces total.Working with one piece at a time, roll it slightly with a rolling pin to smooth it out. With an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate filling evenly over the dough piece, leaving a ¼-inch border along all edges.Starting from a long side, roll the piece tightly into a log, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Place the logs on the parchment-lined baking sheets and transfer them to the freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
- Remove the logs from the freezer one at a time. Using a sharp knife, cut each log lengthwise down the center to create two halves, exposing the layers. With the cut sides facing up, twist the two halves together, then bring the ends together to form a circle, pinching the ends to seal.Carefully transfer each bun to the baking sheet. Loosely cover the sheets with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the buns rise in a warm place for 20–30 minutes, until they are slightly puffed but not doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), positioning the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Bake the buns for 35–40 minutes, rotating the sheets 180° and switching their positions between racks halfway through, until they turn deep golden brown and their internal temperature reaches 190–200°F when measured in the center of a bun (avoid the chocolate filling).
- While the babka buns are still hot, brush the tops liberally with about half of the warm syrup. Let the babka buns cool on the sheets for about 20 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, which gives the buns a tender crumb. You can use bread flour, which will create a slightly chewier texture.
Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to the dough and helps feed the yeast. For a deeper flavor, you can use light brown sugar in place of granulated sugar.
Yeast: This recipe uses instant yeast because you can mix it directly with dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk with a little bit of sugar and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it's foamy, then add it to the flour mixture.
Eggs: Eggs enrich and tenderize the dough, adding structure, color, and a delicate crumb. Use large eggs that are at room temperature.
Salt: Balances flavor and controls yeast development so the dough doesn't over-ferment. If you're using salted butter instead of unsalted, reduce the salt in the dough to ½ teaspoon.
Milk: You can use whole, 2%, or 1% milk, or unsweetened non-dairy milk such as oat or soy milk.
Butter (in dough): Use unsalted butter at room temperature. You can substitute it with ghee, margarine, or vegan butter.
Chocolate (filling): Use dark chocolate with at least 60–70% cocoa. This gives the filling depth, not just sweetness. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips or a combination of dark and milk chocolate.
Butter (in filling): Butter makes the chocolate filling spreadable and adds richness to it.
Simple Syrup (sugar & water): The syrup adds shine and keeps the babka buns moist. It's optional but I highly recommend it.