How to make a Chocolate Hazelnut Babka

I love making bread and pastries at home, and what could be more delicious than a Chocolate Hazelnut Babka?

With layers of sweet yeast dough, lavishly smothered with chocolate and studded with crunchy hazelnuts, this is one sweet treat that is completely irresistible.

They’re also much easier to make than they look (that chocolate hides a multitude of sins!) so they’re brilliant for beginner bakers.

Table of Contents

What is a Babka?

A Babka is a sweet braided bread with origins in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe. It’s made from a simple enriched yeast dough, which is rolled out, spread with a sweet filling, then braided or plaited into shape and baked.

In Germany, this popular tea-time treat is simply known as a ‘Zopf’ or plait and is available in any good bakery.

Are babka difficult to make?

Not at all! Despite looking as though they are terribly complicated, a babka is simple to make and very forgiving for the beginner baker.

Somehow, even if they don’t turn out perfect, the combination of delicious ingredients will taste amazing anyway.

I’ve packed my recipe with loads of helpful hints and tips to ensure babka baking success, so don’t be scared!

Cream and chocolate for Babka filling, mixed to ganache.

Ingredients

As the base of my Chocolate Hazelnut Babka is a simple yeast dough, the ingredients are easily available in any grocery store. To make a babka you’ll need:

Whole milk: Whole milk ensures that the babka dough is lovely and soft and fluffy.
Yeast: I like to use fresh yeast, but if it’s not available where you are active dry yeast works just as well. Check the date on the packet as if the yeast has expired your bread won’t rise.
Flour: All-purpose or plain flour works best for this recipe.
Sugar, salt and orange zest: To balance the flavours in the bread.
Butter: I always use unsalted butter as that way I can control the amount of salt in the recipe, though in this recipe salted butter will work as well.
Heavy cream and dark chocolate: These two simple ingredients combine to make the luscious chocolate filling.
Toasted hazelnuts: Either buy pre-roasted hazelnuts or toast your own by placing the hazelnuts in a roasting tray in an oven at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 until the skins begin to split and peel away from the nut. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before rubbing the skins away with a clean kitchen towel.

Instructions

Making a babka has 4 main stages:

Combine all of the dough ingredients and knead to a soft, smooth dough. Allow to rise for an hour until almost doubled in size. An enriched yeast bread with lots of butter like this one will not rise as much as a plain bread dough.
I use a simple chocolate ganache as the filling in this babka. It’s as simple as heating the cream and pouring it over the chocolate. Use good quality dark chocolate for the best results.
When the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured work surface into a large rectangle, spread generously with the chocolate filling and sprinkle over toasted hazelnuts. Then, starting at a short side, roll into a cylinder. Chilling the dough for 20 minutes at this point will make it easier to handle. Cut the dough lengthways and twist it into a simple braid, then transfer it to a lined loaf pan for the second rise.
When the dough has risen for around 20 minutes, bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown, then glaze with a simple sugar syrup. The hardest part is DEFINITELY waiting for the babka to cool down enough to eat!

Baked chocolate hazelnut babka in a loaf pan.

The complete ingredient list and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Equipment

To make my Chocolate Hazelnut Babka you’ll need the following equipment:

A loaf pan: I use a standard European loaf pan which is around 30cm (12 in.) long with high sides. These are sometimes sold as 2 lb. pans. Alternatively, this babka can be baked as a spiral in a 26 cm (10in.) round spring form pan.
A stand mixer with a dough hook: Because yeast dough is quite wet, it’s easiest to use a stand mixer to make the dough. Don’t worry if you don’t have one! You’re just going to need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and plenty of elbow grease! Full details in recipe notes.
A rolling pin: The dough needs to be rolled out before braiding, so you’ll need a rolling pin for this recipe (though in a pinch, a wine bottle or other cylinder will do.)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What can I do if the dough doesn’t rise?

If the dough doesn’t rise, it’s likely that it is out of date, though it can be simply due to the kitchen being a little too cold! Give the dough an extra half-hour rising time in a warm spot, then proceed as per the recipe. Be sure to use the freshest possible yeast (check the expiry date!) for the best results.

What can I do with leftover babka?

I can say, hand on heart, that there is seldomly leftover babka in my house! However, it makes a fantastic french toast if you need to pep it up a little. I also slice it and freeze it if I think it won’t get eaten up.

Can I make other flavours of babka?

Of course! Cinnamon and sugar is a delicious option, as well as using jam or jelly. You can even make a savoury babka with pesto or pizza sauce (yuuuummmmm!)