Chocolate Babka

This Chocolate Babka just melts in your mouth. This sweet yeast bread can be made in a loaf pan, a round cake pan or spring form pan—any shape you like, make a fabulous taste and aroma. This babka begs to be pulled apart or sliced, eaten plain or buttered and warmed for breakfast.

After a breakfast of several slices, my mom sighed with satisfaction, “Why can’t I eat this for every meal?” While I wouldn’t recommend leaving out all other foods, that is how good the babka was!

Recipe is below.

Foodie Lit

A crisis for many families occurs when an individual becomes sick or injured and a family member becomes a caregiver. US Staff Sergeant Logan Slater’s battle with a life-threatening injury is one military families often face.

In Allegiance, Keri Slater’s marriage is put to the test. Logan’s serious injuries force Keri to become a caregiver, emotionally and physically taxing. Her difficult role is compounded by an overheard conversation revealing that Logan had an affair with her best friend and there was a pregnancy. Keri is heartbroken and angry and yet keeps her allegiance to Logan.

The strong development of the novel’s characters, the difficult situations that test the strongest of families and the love that ultimately emerges makes this a heartwarming story. Honor and loyalty to country, sadly not always seen these days, reminds us that this same allegiance binds families and communities.

Review & Recipe

Chocolate Babka

Yield: 3 loaves

2 packages or 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water

7 tablespoons light oil 

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons salt

5 eggs

1 cups gluten flour

3-4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate filling

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

In large bowl, soften yeast in warm water. Allow time to proof. (It should bubble if yeast is good.)
Add oil, sweetener and salt. Stir in eggs.
Mix gluten flour and 3 cups all-purpose flour. Add chocolate chips. Mix gently. Add enough additional all-purpose flour to form a stiff, sticky dough. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes depending on how many loaves you are making and how humid the day is.
Place 2 tablespoons oil in a clean bowl, add dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover and allow dough to rise in draft free spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Chocolate filling: Melt butter. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder and add butter. Mix.
Punch down dough and prepare loaves. Divide dough into 2 portions for large loaves or 3-4 for smaller ones. You can also place dough in small cake pans.
Roll dough out into a rectangle. With a pastry brush, brush filling onto each piece. Roll up like a jelly roll and pinch ends together to seal. Add a bit of water on your fingertips if you have trouble keeping the seal. Place parchment paper in pan. Fit dough into loaf pan or cake pan.
Topping: Mix together topping with fingers or pastry brush. Press topping evenly into top of dough in each pan.
Let dough rise in draft free spot until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. After 20 minutes, preheat oven to 350 F.
Place pan of water on the row under the pans during baking for a good moist texture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. The bottom, when tapped, should sound hollow. Let cool a bit before eating. Guaranteed to create a smell that will become a cherished memory.

Expandthetable Suggestions

Lower the sugar: Substitute Stevia for maple syrup in dough and Brown Sugar Truvia in Chocolate Paste and sugar in topping. Follow substitution measurements on package.
Dairy Free: Use dairy free margarine in place of butter in topping.