Chocolate Braided Swirl Bread (Babka)

Ingredients
DOUGH

• 4 cups flour (500 g)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
• 1 cup whole milk, warm to the touch (240 mL)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ cup sugar (50 g)
• ¼ cup honey (85 g)
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 10 tablespoons butter, softened

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate (340 g)
• ¾ cup butter (170 g)
• ½ cup sugar (100 g)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder (30 g)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons espresso powder
• ½ cup turbinado sugar (100 g)
• 1 egg wash

Instructions

1. Combine the yeast and warm milk and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In large mixing bowl, add the egg, egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, and honey and whisk to combine.
3. Add in the milk and yeast mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
4. Gradually add in the flour and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Gradually add in the butter and mix until fully incorporated.
6. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
7. Bring out the dough onto floured work surface and knead until smooth.
8. Divide the dough into two equal parts and place in bowls and cover each with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit at room temperature for at least two hours, or when it has doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
10. For the chocolate sauce, combine bittersweet chocolate, butter, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, and turbinado sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir to combine and set aside.
11. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer to a floured work surface and roll both pieces of dough into a rectangle roughly 10x15-inches.
12. Cover the dough with half of the chocolate sauce leaving an ½ inch - 1 inch of room on all sides.
13. Gently roll the dough up and repeat with second piece of dough and remaining chocolate sauce.
14. Using a bench scraper or a knife, carefully cut each log vertically in half making sure the seam is side down.
15. Lay one piece of dough horizontally and lay another piece over it vertically so you have a rough ‘plus sign’.

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