Recipe

Make Dough

1. Combine bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook.
2. Warm milk in microwave for 30 seconds, until lukewarm. Add yeast to warmed milk and whisk to dissolve. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes; it will start to form bubbles as yeast reacts. Add eggs to yeast mixture, whisking to combine.
3. Slowly pour milk-and-egg mixture into dry ingredients while mixing on low speed. Once dough has formed, add butter, 1 cube at a time. Increase speed to medium and mix until butter is fully incorporated and dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 20 minutes. Clean sides of bowl once or twice as you mix. The dough should be smooth, shiny and elastic.

4. Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on floured work surface. Give dough 5 kneaded folds to bring it together. (This develops the gluten structure of dough and helps it to rise.)

5. Place dough on floured baking sheet or in lightly greased bowl. Lightly cover top with plastic wrap and let it relax in fridge for at least 45 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

Prepare Filling

1. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Once melted, remove bowl from heat, add butter and stir to combine until butter has melted. Sift in icing sugar and cocoa powder, and stir to form thick paste. Set mixture aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

Prepare Babka

1. Spray 10″ loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Remove rested dough from fridge and roll out into 9″ x 13″ rectangle. Spread filling evenly across dough, leaving ó” border on one long edge with no filling, so when dough is rolled, it will stick together. Starting from the other long side, roll dough into log. Slice log in half lengthwise, exposing centre of roll. Create an X shape with the half-logs and then twist ends around each other, keeping filling face up. Tuck under ends and place dough in prepared loaf pan.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in warm area until dough doubles in size, about 90 minutes.
3. Halfway through proofing, preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare egg wash by whisking together egg and milk.

Bake Babka

1. When dough has doubled in size, brush top with egg wash and bake in oven for 60 to 65 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a thermometer into centre of loaf at its highest point, until it reads between 190° and 200°F.
2. Remove babka from oven and set on wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove from loaf pan. Serve warm with your favourite chocolate hazelnut spread.

Note: Babka can be placed in an airtight plastic bag and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.