Babka Bread Machine Recipe: Easy and Delicious
Make a babka bread machine recipe for a cozy brunch. This easy chocolate babka bread recipe delivers freshly baked, swirled yeast bread with rich chocolate.
Equipment
- 1 Bread machine
- 3 9 by 5-inch bread loaf pans
- 1 Breadboard, pastry mat, or other surface for rolling out the dough
- 1 Dough cutter or large, sharp knife
- 1 Small microwavable bowl
- 1 Spatula
- 1 small saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm milk whole milk is best
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¾ cup butter, chopped unsalted is best
- 4½ cups flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2½ teaspoons yeast
Simple Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Filling
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Warm 1/2 cup of milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add it to the bread machine.
- Add all of the other babka bread dough ingredients to the bread machine in the order listed.
- Run the bread machine on the dough cycle. My machine takes 90 minutes to complete a dough cycle.
- While the bread machine is making the dough, make the simple sugar syrup. Mix the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.
- If you are making chocolate babka bread filling, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, heating at 30-second intervals. Stir in between each heating interval until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Allow to cool for two minutes.
- Next, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth (you can use a stand mixer or mix by hand). Add in the melted chocolate chips, the cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt. This makes enough filling for three loaves of chocolate babka bread.
- Prepare three 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans by greasing (grease thoroughly, as the dough is sticky) or lining the pans with foil.
- When the dough cycle has completed, remove the dough from the bread machine pan and divide it into three equal pieces. You may choose to make all three sections into babka bread, or you may choose to make a section into something else, like babka muffins.
- Roll out each section of dough into a rectangle, approximately 18 inches by 12 inches. Spread the filling evenly over the rectangle. Starting at the top, roll the dough down to encase the filling inside. Trim 1/2 inch off of each end so that the ends are even. (I like to place the rolled up scraps into a greased muffin tin and bake separately for about 15 minutes to have as a little snack.)
- Slice the roll in half lengthwise. Lay each half so that the filled layers are facing up. Cross the two pieces of dough over, then gently braid each side. If you haven't watched the video yet, now would be a good time. The video shows the technique, and you can pause it as often as you need.
- Gently gather the braided dough and place it in each loaf pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- While the loaves are rising, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then brush each loaf with two coats of simple syrup.
- Return the loaves to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. When the loaves are removed from the oven, brush each one immediately with another 3 light layers of syrup. Allow the loaves to cool for 5 minutes, then gently go around the edge of each loaf with a spatula or butter knife.
- To remove the loaf from the pan, place a wire rack on top and flip both the rack and the loaf pan over together and place on top of another wire cooling rack. Gently shake the loaf pan until the babka bread releases. Turn each loaf over and allow it to cool.
- Each loaf makes about 10 thick slices and may be served with butter and jam, if desired.
Video
Notes
The amount of calories is based upon the chocolate babka bread variation. The Nutella variation shown in the video would have approximately 300 calories per slice.