Chocolate babka...

I was wandering through Pinterest when what to my wondering eyes did appear but a recipe for chocolate babka.  What could be better than bread and chocolate?  Two of my favorite things.

Chocolate Babka

1 c. Flour

2 1/2 t. Instant yeast

1 c. Hot water

Combine and let rise 45 minutes. Then add:

1 T. Salt

1/4 c. Honey

1/2 c. Safflower, canola, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

2 eggs

Zest of one orange

2 t. Vanilla extract

3 1/2 - 4 c. Flour

Knead for a few minutes, until dough is smooth.  Let rise 1-2 hours. Meanwhile, make the filling:

Melt-

1/2 c. Butter

3/4 c. Dark chocolate chips

Add-

1/2 c. Powdered sugar

1/3 c. Cocoa

Knead dough and divide in half.  Roll into rectangles and spread the chocolate filling on top.  Roll into a tight coil and then cut the coil in half lengthwise.  Then cut widthwise the length of a breadpan.  Very confusing.  Twist the two half coils and let rise until it fills the breadpan.  Then bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  You may need to cover the top with tinfoil.  The original recipe says to boil a syrup of 1/3 c. Orange juice and 6 T. Sugar.  Brush it over the loaves.  Personally, I wish I had left that part out. Still I found the bread to be decadent.  

You can find the recipe at: Popsugar by Alexandra Stafford.  Her instructions are probably better than mine.   

It is the perfect bread for the holidays.  It must be, as I see Kim at Farm Girl was also thinking bread and chocolate together.  

My husband told me I need to change the name of my blog to:

Birds, bees, berries, blooms and breads.  Maybe.

What is your go to holiday bread?