Decadent Chocolate Babka
45 min 
8 
There’s no need for an excuse to celebrate chocolate at Easter time (or any time for that matter). Bake, eat and bake again is what we say. Thus, without further ado, we have for you the perfect bake – a decadent Chocolate Babka that is fluffy, has a nice crunch, is packed with flavour and has just the right amount of sweetness.
The buttery and chocolatey filling combination of Food Thoughts Luxury Dark Chocolate Chips and Food Thoughts Organic Cocoa Powder, layered between the twice proofed dough, makes this Chocolate Babka the perfect bread for a fancy breakfast and a cheeky cake for any time of the day. Because, nobody can draw a definite line on what a Babka is – a cake or a bread? According to wikipedia, a babka is a sweet braided bread or cake which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland, Ukraine and Russia. What we can confirm is that this Chocolate Babka is utterly delicious! And it is dairy free diet friendly.
You will be surprised how easy and relaxing the cooking process is and how beautiful the chocolate braid is to the eye in every stage of the baking process. For an extra crunch, sprinkle some Food Thoughts Roasted Cacao Nibs once you’ve braided the babka – you won’t regret it . Truly a treat everyone will remember! Recipe by Andrea aka spikyfork.
You will need
- For the dough:
- 2 tsp activated dry yeast
- 180ml lukewarm oat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g granulated sugar
- 115g melted unsalted butter (or dairy free alternative)
- ½ tsp salt
- 345g plain flour
- For the filling:
- 65g Food Thoughts Luxury Dark Chocolate Chips
- 30g unsalted butter (or dairy free alternative)
- 65g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp Food Thoughts Organic Cocoa Powder
- For the glaze:
- 3 tbsp oat milk
- 1 tsp agave or maple syrup
- handful of Roasted Cacao Nibs (optional)
Method
Start by activating the yeast in the warm milk and letting it rest for about 5 minutes or until foamy. In a big bowl mix the white sugar, the vanilla extract and melted butter. Then add the yeast mixture and combine well. Add the salt and flour to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until everything comes together and a dough forms. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes by hand or half of the time if you are using a stand mixer. Once the dough is nice and elastic, place it in a well greased bowl covered with a kitchen towel to rest for about 2 hours or overnight.
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by melting the Food Thoughts Luxury Dark Chocolate Chips with the butter in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals, mixing it in between. Once smooth, add the icing sugar and the Food Thoughts Organic Cocoa Powder until it turns into a spreadable consistency.
Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a floured surface and with a rolling pin, shape it into a rectangle. Spread on it the chocolate filling, leaving a margin at the edges. Roll the dough into a log shape, starting on the longer side of the rectangle and finishing by pinching the end and edges. Slice the log in the middle to create two long strands facing upward. You should be able to see the different layers. Braid the two strands together and place the braid on a greased loaf pan tucking the ends inwards. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rest and rise for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the oat milk with the syrup and glaze the babka braid. Sprinkle with a handful of Roasted Cacao Nibs for an extra crunch (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or until it’s golden brown, then brush again with the glaze. Let it cool for 20 minutes, then remove from the mould, allowing it to cool completely. Enjoy warm with some butter, honey or your favourite jam. It's truly a treat!
