Chocolatey Babka!

There are several Easter bread recipes on my blog from past years,  but I wanted to have something new for you to try for your Easter table this weekend. I'm excited about this recipe, as it makes enough to share.....and I love to share! This tasty bread is labeled a "babka", as it contains egg, milk & sugar, not to mention chocolate....ie: it's rich! Babka, meaning "Grandmother", originated in Poland, and is traditionally baked in a high, round pan which produces a bread which is shaped like a woman's skirt. The recipe I'm sending your way is baked in two medium-sized loaf pans, though you could adapt it for baking in a bundt pan by rolling all the dough out, joining the ends and placing in the pan - you'd have your "Grandmother's skirt" that way! Any way you bake it, it is TOTALLY delicious! 

Speaking of sharing.......I'm hoping that you will take time to remember the greatest gift that was ever shared.....God's great gift of redemption by the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. I wish you the joy, hope and victory of the Easter season! 

Chocolatey Babka!

Dough:

1 Cup warm water

¼ Cup milk, warmed

1 Tbsp/pkg. Red Star Platinum yeast

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg yolk (reserve white for basting top)

1 tsp. salt

3 ½ Cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Filling:

2/3 Cup sugar

2 ½ Tbsp. cocoa

¼ Cup finely chopped pecans

1 Tbsp. instant clear jel (optional, but sets filling nicely)

Topping:

2 Tbsp. softened butter

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup powdered sugar

¼ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

While dough is rising, combine filling ingredients and set aside.

Divide dough in two equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 8x10” rectangle. Spread approximately a tablespoon of softened butter on each rectangle. Sprinkle ½ of filling mixture on each rectangle and roll up, jelly-roll fashion, starting at the 8” side. Pinch seams closed. Tuck in the ends. Place each loaf in a greased 4x8” pan. (You could also divide the dough/filling/topping into 3 portions and place in smaller pans to make 3 loaves.)   Cover lightly and let rise until almost doubled. Brush the top of each loaf with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle ½ of the topping mixture on each loaf. Bake at 365 (I wanted a temp between 350-375 J )  for 30-45 minutes, until golden on top and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool briefly in pan, then remove and cool completely  on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy! 

This recipe is adapted from a recipe at King Arthur Flour

Chocolatey Babka!