Chocolate babka loaf

This takes some time and effort, but is worth every second (and calorie). Feel free to flavour with whatever you like... white chocolate, spices, etc. Serves 12 • Ready in 2 hrs, plus up to 7 hrs proving time

120ml milk

1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 300g strong white bread flour

1tsp salt

40g caster sugar

1 egg

1tsp vanilla paste

70g butter, cut into 3cm cubes

For the filling:

120g butter

80g dark muscovado sugar

100g dark chocolate, melted

100g pecan nuts, chopped

For the glaze:

50g caster sugar

You will also need:

500g loaf tin

1 Heat the milk in a pan until it’s warm – do not boil or simmer. Remove from the heat, pour into a jug and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle over the yeast and leave for 5-10 mins until foamy.

2 Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg and vanilla together. Add the milk mixture and egg mixture to the dry ingredients then, using a dough hook, knead on a low speed until a smooth, elastic dough has formed. Beat in the cubes of butter, two at a time, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave at

room temperature to prove for 5 hrs, or overnight, until doubled in size.

3 To make the filling, beat together the butter, muscovado sugar and melted chocolate until smooth. Roll out the dough to form a 45 x 25cm rectangle. Spread over the filling, leaving a 2.5cm border. Sprinkle over the pecans.

From the long side of the rectangle, roll up the dough. Pinch together the edges to seal.

4 Cut down the length of the middle of the cylinder of dough, leaving about 5cm intact at one end. From this end, plait the two strands around each other, keeping the filling facing up. Ease into the loaf tin (it may be a snug fit), cover lightly with cling film and leave to rise for another 1½-2 hrs.

5 Heat the oven to 160C/gas 3 and bake for 45-50 mins until cooked through – the dough should sound hollow when tapped. (Check the babka after 25 mins and cover with foil if the chocolate is getting too dark.)

6 To make the glaze, heat the sugar and 50ml water in a pan until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 mins and remove from the heat. As soon as the babka is out of the oven, brush over the glaze then leave to cool completely before slicing.

Per serving: 485 cals, 14g fat, 4g sat fat, 42g carbs