Chocolate Babka

Rippled with thick, rich dark chocolate, this Eastern European sweet bread is delicious served for brunch.

Hands-on time 55min, plus rising and cooling. Cooking time about 1hr 5min. Makes 1 loaf

for the dough

◆ 100ml (3½fl oz) milk

◆ 350g (12oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra to dust

◆ 50g (2oz) caster sugar

◆ 7g sachet fast action dried yeast

◆ 1 large egg, lightly beaten

◆ 100g (3½oz) butter, softened and chopped into small pieces, plus

extra to grease for the filling

◆ 75g (3oz) unsalted butter

◆ 75g (3oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

◆ 150g (5oz) caster sugar

◆ 25g (1oz) cocoa powder

◆ 1tsp ground cinnamon for the syrup

◆ 75g (3oz) caster sugar

1 Heat milk in a small saucepan until just warm. In a large bowl (or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook) mix flour, sugar, yeast and a pinch of salt. Add the milk, egg and butter, and mix to bring together into a dough, adding another 1tbsp milk if looking a little dry. Shape into a ball, then knead by hand for about 15min (or about 6min in a stand mixer) until you have a soft dough that springs back when pressed. Return to the cleaned-out bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave to prove for 2hr until about doubled in size (or leave at room temperature for 1hr, then transfer to the fridge overnight and complete recipe the following day).

2 If dough was kept in the fridge overnight, set aside at room temperature while you make the filling. Grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with butter and line base and sides with baking parchment, leaving an overhang to help get bread out of the tin later.

3 To make the filling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, stir in the chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Set aside to cool briefly.

4 Place dough on to a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 50 x 30.5cm (20 x 12in). Spread the filling over the dough, covering it completely. Roll up tightly from one of the longer sides into a sausage shape. Carefully lift dough on to a piece of baking parchment and chill in the fridge for 15min (to make it easier to cut).

5 When chilled, cut the dough in half lengthways so you have two long pieces with the inside exposed. Turn each piece so filling faces upwards. Starting from one end, lift one piece across the other, twisting together but keeping the filling exposed, to make one long twisted braid. Push ends of the twist together to make the length shorter, then squeeze the dough into the loaf tin (it will seem too big but it will fit!) Loosely cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to prove in a warm place for 1½-2hr or until doubled in size.

6 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Bake loaf for about 50min-1hr until deep golden, loosely covering with foil towards the end of cooking time if it is getting too dark. When babka is almost cooked, make the syrup. In a small pan, gently heat sugar and 75ml (3fl oz) water and stir until dissolved. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Remove loaf from oven, brush sugar syrup all over the top to soak in. Leave to cool completely in the tin before serving.

PER SERVING (if serving 10) 427cals, 7g protein, 18g fat (11g saturates), 58g carbs (33g total sugars), 2g fibre GH TIP Its unlikely that you’ll have any leftovers, but if you do, you could use them in a chocolate bread and butter pudding.