Description
This Chocolate Nutella Babka Bread is a rich, swirled yeast bread filled with creamy Nutella, perfect for breakfast or a decadent snack. The dough is soft and buttery, filled with a luscious chocolate-hazelnut spread, twisted into beautiful layers, and finished with a sweet lemon-infused syrup glaze for added moisture and shine.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread
- 100 ml milk (at room temperature)
- 100 g caster or granulated sugar
- 7 g fast action dried yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 550 g white strong flour
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 150 g unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 280 g Nutella or any other chocolate spread
For the Syrup
- 100 g caster or granulated sugar
- 100 g water
- few drops of lemon juice
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Warm the milk to room temperature and mix with the sugar and fast action dried yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until frothy to activate the yeast.
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the strong white flour and salt. Add the eggs, softened butter, and the activated yeast mixture. Knead the dough either by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 8-10 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky.
- First proof: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, and leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Roll out and fill: On a floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1 cm thick. Spread the Nutella evenly over the rolled dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Shape the babka: Carefully roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log. Using a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise to expose the layers inside. Twist the two halves together, keeping the cut sides facing up, and gently place the twisted dough into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
- Second proof: Cover the loaf tin and allow the dough to rise again for 45-60 minutes until it puffs up.
- Bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the babka for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. You can tent the loaf with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Prepare the syrup: While the bread is baking, combine the sugar, water, and a few drops of lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Glaze the babka: As soon as the babka comes out of the oven, brush it generously with the warm syrup to give it a shiny glaze and keep it moist.
- Cool and serve: Allow the babka to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure the yeast activates properly and the dough rises well.
- You can substitute Nutella with any other chocolate or hazelnut spread according to preference.
- If you don’t have strong white flour, use all-purpose flour but the texture may be slightly different.
- Make sure not to overbake the babka to keep it soft and tender inside.
- The syrup glaze keeps the bread moist longer and adds a beautiful shine.
- Store the babka in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Keywords: Chocolate Nutella Babka, Nutella Bread, Chocolate Babka, Yeast Bread, Sweet Bread, Breakfast Bread, Holiday Bread