This Chocolate Raspberry Babka is the perfect twist to a classic dish! I love a good babka, and using chocolate raspberry filling really elevates the flavor. I included both raspberry jam and whole raspberries to contrast with the sweetness of the chocolate. How do you like your babkas?
Chocolate Raspberry Babka
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup water, 115°F
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g) + 1 tsp
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (540g)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (113g), cut into small cubes and room temp
Filling
- 1/4 cup favorite raspberry jam (I love Bonne Maman!)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp (28g)
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 cup fresh raspberries, mashed
Instructions
- First, make the dough. In a medium bowl, add the water, yeast, and 1 tsp of sugar and mix until combined and let sit for 10 minutes; the yeast should start to foam. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside. In the bowl with the yeast mix, add the rest of the sugar and the eggs and whisk to combine.
- In the stand mixer bowl, create a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix well with a dough hook until the dough comes together. With the mixer on low, add the butter a bit at a time, letting the butter incorporate before adding more–a smooth dough should come together at the end. If not, let it mix a few minutes more, making sure to scrape down the sides as necessary with a spatula. Once the dough has come together, transfer to a large bowl greased with butter and cover with plastic wrap, and let it proof until doubled in size in a warm area (I love using an oven with just the light on). This should take roughly 1 hour.
- Next, make the filling. In a small bowl, add the raspberry jam and cocoa powder, then add the butter. In a separate bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Set both of these aside.
- To get ready for baking, grease two 9"x5" loaf pans well with butter. Punch down the dough and separate into two balls of the same size, setting one aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 dough ball to a 12"x10" rectangle, 1/8" thick. spread half of the jam over the dough with an offset spatula (a knife works here too, but the offset helps keep my kuckles clean!), leaving about 1/4" of bare dough around the edges. Sprinkle half of the sugar/chocolate mix over top of the jam, and then tightly roll up the dough starting at one of the short ends.
- Slice the log of dough in half all the way through lengthwise, leaving just about 1/2" connected at one end to hold it together. Twist the two halves together, keeping the now-visible layers facing upward, and then pinch the two ends together to seal them. Carefully pick up the braided dough and place into a prepared pan, and then repeat with the remaining ingredients. Cover the two loaf pans loosely and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes.
- During this time, preheat the oven to 350°F and make the syrup. In a small saucepan, add the raspberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 tbsp of water. Place the saucepan over high heat until the mix begins to bubble and the sugar has melted, then reduce heat to a simmer, simmering for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mix cool for 10 minutes before straining through a fine mesh sieve, after which you can discard the leftover raspberry pulp.
- When the loaves have risen, bake for 45-60 minutes, rotating the loaves halfway through. Bake until golden brown, and a thermometer in the center of the loaves reads 190°F. Remove from the oven and brush liberally with the raspberry syrup, letting the loaves soak it up. Keep them in their pans for about 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temp.
- Enjoy!
