CHOCOLATE NUTELLA BABKA

Super rich, chocolatey and delicious. Not as intimidating as it looks! 
Makes: 10 servings                                                                                         Takes: 2 hours + 24 hours chilling

 CHOCOLATE NUTELLA BABKA

From Breads Bakery's recipe
Makes: 8+ servings
Takes: 2 hours + 24 hours chilling
Dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 120 grams (1/2 cup) whole milk, at room temperature
  • 6 grams (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 280 grams (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour 
  • 220 grams (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons) pastry or cake flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 75 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 large pinch fine salt
  • 80 grams (5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) room temperature unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Filling
  • 420 grams (1 1/2 cups) Nutella
  • 150 grams (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 160 grams (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
  • 120 grams (1/2 cup) water
  1. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the vanilla into the milk. Next, use a fork or your fingers to lightly mix the yeast into the milk. Then add both flours, eggs, sugar, salt, a few cubes of butter.
  2. Mix on the lowest speed, adding more butter in small increments, and stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Pull the dough off the hook as it accumulates there so it mixes evenly and continue mixing until the dough is well combined, about 2 minutes (it will not be smooth). If the dough is very dry, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time; if the dough looks wet, add more all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix until the dough is smooth and has good elasticity, about 4 minutes.
  3. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and turn the dough out on top; lightly dust the top of the dough and the interior of a large bowl with flour. Knead the dough by stretching a portion away from you and then folding it on top of the middle of the dough. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue to do this until you can stretch a small piece of dough very thin without it tearing, about 5 minutes. Then use your hands to push and pull the dough against the work surface and in a circular motion to create a nice round of dough. Set the ball in the floured bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  4. Set the dough on a piece of plastic wrap and press it into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before proceeding.
  5. Unwrap the dough and let stand on the counter for 5 minutes or so before rolling out. Lightly coat 2 standard loaf pans with room-temperature unsalted butter.
  6. On a lightly floured work surface (or on a long dining table). Roll the dough into a 9-by-24-inch rectangle (it should be just a little shy of 1/4-inch thick) with the long side facing you. Only roll the dough one one direction in order to not stress the gluten. Pull and shape the corners into a somewhat rectangular shape. 
  7. Spread the Nutella in an even layer over the dough, all the way to the edges. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips in an even layer over the Nutella, across the entire surface of the dough. Working from the bottom edge, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. As you roll it, push and pull the cylinder a little to make it even tighter. Then, holding the cylinder at the ends, lift and stretch it slightly to make it even tighter and longer.
  8. Using a sharp knife, slice the cylinder in half lengthwise so you have 2 long pieces, and set them with the chocolate layers exposed. Now cut each half in half crosswise, creating 4 equal-length strips. Overlap one strip on top of another to make an X, making sure the exposed chocolate part of the dough faces up; then twist the ends together so you have at least 2 twists on each side of the X. Repeat with the other two pieces. Place each shaped babka into a prepared loaf pan, exposed chocolate–side up. The dough should fill the pan by two-thirds and fit the length perfectly. Trim the ends a bit if it's too long to fit. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and repeat with the other pieces of dough.
  9. Set the loaf pans aside in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough rises and is very soft and jiggly to the touch, 2 to 3 hours, depending on how warm your room is. Note: If your room is very cold, you can speed up the rising process by setting a large bowl of hot water on the bottom of the oven, place the loaf pans on the middle oven rack, close the oven door, and let the dough rise in the oven. 
  10. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the babkas in the oven and bake until they are dark brown and baked through, about 40 minutes; check them after 25 minutes, and if they are getting too dark, tent them loosely with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  11. Meanwhile, make the simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and set aside the syrup to cool.
  12. Remove the babkas from the oven, and while they are still hot, brush the surface generously with the cooled sugar syrup. Use a paring knife to separate the babkas from the pan edges, and turn them out from the pan. Slice and serve warm!