Paul Hollywood’s Chocolate Babka

Best on the day, this fudgy chocolate babka is easy to wrap and take with you to share with a friend alongside a good cup of coffee

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Place 75g butter, 110g of caster sugar and 80g chocolate in a small saucepan over a low heat. Melt everything together very slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth (about 5 mins),

Step 2

Pour the chocolate mixture into a small bowl and stir in cocoa powder. Leave to cool and thicken slightly while you make the dough.

Step 3

Tip 275g if the flour into a mixing bowl. Add yeast to one side of the bowl and 25g of sugar and the salt to the other side. Crack the eggs and a separate small bowl, add the milk and beat together.

Step 4

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the egg and milk mixture.

Step 5

Using a table knife, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a flaky dough.

Step 6

Tip the dough out onto a work surface and bring it together with your hands. Knead for 5-8 minutes, until smooth

Step 7

Pat the dough into a rough 15cm round and add 4 or 5 cubes of butter to the centre. Fold the dough over the butter and knead to incorporate. Repeat kneading well between each addition, until you have used all 80g of the butter and have a soft, slightly sticky dough

Step 8

Once you have added all the butter, continue to knead the sticky stage, until you have a ball of smooth silky, shiny dough.

Step 9

Lightly oil a clean mixing bowl and place the dough inside, cover with a clean tea towel and leave at room temperature to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Step 10

Tip out the risen dough onto a work surface, pat it down and press out the air all over with your fingertips.

Step 11

Sprinkle some of the remaining 25g of flour over the work surface, place the dough on top and, using a rolling pin, roll it out to about 30 x 35 cm rectangle.

Step 12

Using back of a spoon, spread the chocolate mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 cm border around the edges. Sprinkle any nuts over the top.

Step 13

Using your hands, roll up the dough tightly, keeping the seam underneath as you finish. Turn the roll through 90 degrees to position it vertically on the work surface.

Step 14

Trim 2cm off each end. Using a large knife starting at the end of the roll farthest from you, cut through the middle, down the full length, dividing the roll into two long pieces.

Step 15

Turn each piece so that the cut side faces upwards. Gently press the top ends of the two halves together to seal. Then, lift the right half over the left half followed by the left half over the right half, repeating the process to make a two-stranded plait. When you get to the bottom, gently press the bottom ends together to seal.

Step 16

Gently life the plait into the prepared loaf tin, squishing the length to fit if necessary. Leave to rise again at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until puffed up and doubled in size.

Step 17

Heat oven to 170 C fan and bake for 15 minutes, lower to 150 C fan and bake for further 25-30 minutes.

Step 18

Make the syrup. 100g of sugar plus orange juice, boil and reduce to thick syrup and allow to cool.

Step 19

Brush the syrup of the babka and leave to cook in tin.

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