Heavenly Chocolate Pie Babka Recipe: Sweet Swirls of Delight

Chocolate pie babka weaves together the most irresistible elements of sweet pastry traditions.

Soft, pillowy dough spirals around rich chocolate layers, creating a mesmerizing culinary canvas.

Bakers passionate about converting classic ingredients into extraordinary treats will adore this fusion dessert.

Jewish and Eastern European baking techniques merge beautifully in this elegant bread-like creation.

Delicate swirls of chocolate wind through tender, yeasted dough, promising an indulgent sensory experience.

Each slice reveals intricate marbled patterns that tempt and delight anyone who appreciates complex baked goods.

The harmonious blend of textures and flavors elevates this recipe beyond ordinary desserts.

Chocolate Pie Babka with Rich, Swirled Layers

• Elevate Chocolate Indulgence: This babka transforms humble ingredients into a luxurious chocolate-swirled bread with rich, decadent flavor that melts in your mouth, offering a gourmet experience right from your kitchen.
• Master Impressive Baking Technique: The intricate twisting method creates stunning spiral layers that look professionally crafted, making you feel like a skilled baker without requiring advanced pastry skills.
• Customize with Delightful Texture: Crunchy pecans add a delightful nutty contrast to the smooth chocolate filling, providing multiple sensory experiences in every single bite of this warm, soft bread.
• Quick Weekend Baking Project: Designed for home bakers with moderate skills, this recipe takes just a few hours from start to finish, perfect for leisurely weekend mornings or special brunch gatherings with friends and family.

Ingredients Needed for Chocolate Pie Babka

Dough Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and base for the soft, tender babka dough..
• Active Dry Yeast: Essential for making the dough rise and creating a light, airy texture..

• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness, moisture, and helps create a tender crumb..
• Large Egg, Large Egg Yolk: Contribute to the dough's richness and help bind ingredients..
• Warm Water: Activates the yeast and helps create the dough's consistency..

• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps activate the yeast..
• Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, comforting flavor to the dough..
• Kosher Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness..

Filling Ingredients:

• Bittersweet Chocolate: Offers deep, rich chocolate flavor for the filling..
• Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and caramel-like sweetness..
• Light Corn Syrup: Helps create a smooth, glossy filling..

• Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and helps melt the chocolate..
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor..
• Kosher Salt: Balances and intensifies the sweet flavors..

Topping and Texture:

• Pecan Halves: Adds crunch, nuttiness, and textural contrast to the babka..

• Large Egg White: Creates a shiny, golden.

Instructions for a Moist, Decadent Bake

Step 1: Prepare the Pan

Coat an 8.5-inch loaf pan with softened butter. Set aside butter at room temperature.

Step 2: Activate the Yeast

• Warm water
• Active dry yeast
• Granulated sugar

Combine ingredients in a measuring cup. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Create the Dough

• Yeast mixture
• Remaining sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Whole egg
• Egg yolk
• Vanilla extract
• Kosher salt

Mix on low speed, then medium until smooth. Add flour if too sticky.

Step 4: First Rise

Cover the bowl and let dough rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until puffy.

Step 5: Prepare Chocolate Filling

• Bittersweet chocolate
• Unsalted butter

• Light brown sugar
• Light corn syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Kosher salt

Whisk until well combined.

Step 6: Prepare for Assembly

Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop pecans, reserving some for topping.

Step 7: Roll and Fill

Beat egg white. Roll dough into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Spread chocolate filling, leaving a small border. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Step 8: Shape the Babka

Roll dough into a log. Cut lengthwise. Twist the two halves together to create a spiral. Transfer to prepared pan.

Step 9: Final Touches

Brush with egg white. Sprinkle reserved pecans on top.

Step 10: Bake to Perfection

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check doneness with a skewer or thermometer (210°F).

Step 11: Cool and Serve

Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove and let sit 10 more minutes before slicing.

Tips to Master Babka’s Signature Look

• Activate Yeast Perfectly: Ensure water is warm (not hot) to help yeast bloom without killing it, creating a soft, airy dough.
• Knead with Patience: Mix dough slowly, allowing gluten to develop gradually for a smooth, elastic texture that rises beautifully.
• Control Moisture Carefully: Add flour sparingly if dough seems sticky, preventing a dense or dry babka that loses its delicate structure.
• Twist Technique Matters: When braiding the dough, keep layers visible and press ends firmly to maintain an attractive, professional-looking spiral.
• Cool Strategically: Allow babka to rest in the pan first, then on a wire rack to help it set and prevent breaking when slicing, ensuring clean, beautiful pieces.

How to Store and Warm Up Babka the Right Way

• Refrigeration: Store leftover babka wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Ensure the babka is completely cooled before storing to prevent condensation.
• Room Temperature: Keep the babka at room temperature for 1-2 days if you plan to enjoy it soon. Place it in a sealed container or wrap it loosely with plastic wrap to maintain moisture.
• Reheating: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or restore the babka's fresh-baked texture by heating in a preheated 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. Wrap the babka in aluminum foil to prevent excessive drying and maintain its soft, tender crumb.

Favorite Pairings for Chocolate Babka Slices

• Brew a Bold Coffee Companion: Pair this chocolate pecan babka with a robust espresso or dark roast coffee. The rich, bitter notes will beautifully contrast the sweet chocolate and nutty pecan flavors, creating a luxurious morning or afternoon treat.
• Smooth Dessert Wine Delight: Serve alongside a glass of tawny port or late harvest riesling. These wines offer caramel and honey undertones that complement the babka's chocolate and brown sugar complexity, enhancing every decadent bite.
• Creamy Dairy Sidekick: Enjoy with a cold glass of whole milk or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The creamy, cool texture provides a delightful balance to the warm, spiced chocolate layers, making each slice feel like a complete dessert experience.
• Nutty Tea Pairing Adventure: Match with a hazelnut or almond-flavored black tea. The subtle nut profiles will harmonize with the pecan elements, while the tea's warmth brings out the babka's intricate chocolate and butter notes.

Flavor Variants That Keep It Interesting

• Nutty Chocolate Crunch: Replace pecans with toasted almonds or hazelnuts for a different nutty flavor profile and added crunch.
• Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate: Sprinkle ground cinnamon into the chocolate filling for a warm, aromatic variation that enhances the chocolate's richness.
• Berry Chocolate Fusion: Add dried cranberries or raspberry jam to the chocolate filling for a tangy fruit element that complements the chocolate's sweetness.
• Salted Caramel Chocolate: Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the filling before rolling to create a decadent, sweet-and-salty babka experience.

Chocolate Pie Babka Recipe

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4.8 from 36 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Rich chocolate ribbons weave through pillowy dough in this irresistible babka inspired by Eastern European baking traditions. Jewish bakeries perfected this swirled sweet bread, offering you a delectable slice of culinary heritage that melts deliciously in your mouth.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

Flour and Yeast:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (¼-ounce/7 grams) packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

Eggs:

• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 large egg white

Butter and Sugar:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter or margarine
• ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

Chocolate and Nuts:

• 1 ½ ounces (42 grams) bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup pecan halves

Liquid and Flavor Enhancers:

• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Seasoning:

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

1. Prepare the loaf pan by generously coating it with softened butter, ensuring complete coverage.
2. Activate the yeast by combining it with warm water and a pinch of sugar, allowing it to become frothy and aromatic for about 10 minutes.
3. In a stand mixer, blend the activated yeast with softened butter, remaining sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, and salt, creating a supple and elastic dough.
4. Allow the dough to rest and rise in a warm environment until it becomes noticeably puffy and light, approximately one hour.
5. Create the chocolate filling by gently melting chocolate and butter together, then incorporating brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt into a smooth, glossy mixture.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a thin rectangular shape, stretching it carefully to maximize surface area.
7. Spread the chocolate filling evenly across the dough, leaving a small border, and generously scatter chopped pecans over the surface.
8. Tightly roll the dough from the bottom edge, forming a compact log, then slice the log lengthwise to expose intricate layers.
9. Intertwine the two halves, creating a dramatic spiral pattern, and carefully transfer the twisted dough into the prepared loaf pan.
10. Brush the surface with egg white and sprinkle reserved pecans on top for added texture and visual appeal.
11. Bake in a preheated oven until the babka develops a rich, golden-brown crust and reaches an internal temperature indicating complete doneness.
12. Allow the babka to cool gradually in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to stabilize its structure before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Master the art of yeast activation by ensuring warm water (not hot) and waiting for the foamy reaction, which signals live and active yeast.
• Dough consistency is crucial; add flour gradually if too sticky to prevent a dense, heavy texture that can ruin the babka’s delicate structure.
• When rolling and filling, leave a small border to prevent filling from leaking and ensure a clean, beautiful spiral when twisting the dough.
• Cutting the log lengthwise before twisting creates those stunning layered chocolate swirls that make this babka visually impressive and deliciously textured.
• Use an instant-read thermometer for precise doneness, aiming for an internal temperature of 210°F to guarantee a perfectly baked, moist babka.
• Allow sufficient cooling time in and out of the pan to help the babka set and make slicing easier without crumbling.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Fat: 17 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 43 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg