Chocolate Babka

Ingredients

• Reduced fat milk

  Fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin a and vitamin d

  120g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  ⅛ cup or 28g

• Wheat flour

  White, bread, enriched

  1 cup or 137g

• Wheat flour

  Whole-grain

  1 cup or 120g

• Yeast

  Leavening agents, baker's, active dry

  2g

• Honey

  25g

• Egg

  Whole, fresh eggs

  1 large or 50g

• Salt

  Table

  2g

• Semisweet chocolate

  Candies

  75g

• Cinnamon

  Spices, ground

  1 tsp or 3g

• Dates, deglet noor

  40g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  ⅛ cup or 28g

Directions

1. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the milk, yeast, flour, salt, and honey, and mix to combine. Add the egg, and continue mixing on low for 5 minutes or until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Add the softened butter and mix for another 15 min, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
2. Lightly oil a separate glass bowl. Form the brioche dough into a bowl and transfer to oiled bowl. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Make the chocolate filling and the streusel while the dough is rising. For the filling, chop in a blender the chocolate, the cinnamon, and the dates. Cut in 1/8 cup chilled butter. Refrigerate.
4. When the dough has doubled, punch the dough down. Loosely shape the piece into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.
5. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to form a 15x4-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with the chocolate filling, roll up to form a long log, and seal the seam. Cut the log in half crosswise. Place one half over the other, forming a cross. Twist to form a spiral and transfer to a grease and lined loaf pan. Cover with damp kitchen towels and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
7. Bake the loaves for about 25 minutes, until the bread is a deep golden brown.