1 cup warm water (no hotter than 115°F)
1 Tablespoon instant dry yeast
½ cup sugar
½ Tablespoon vanilla sugar
¾ cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredients for Chocolate Powder Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup dark cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
2 cups sugar
½ package Jell-O chocolate pudding powder
Ingredients for Chocolate Lava Filling
1 cup of dry filling from above
¼ cup canola oil
4-5 Tablespoons boiling water
The filling will have a thick, syrupy consistency. If needed, add 1 additional tablespoon boiling water. Filling will thicken and set as it sits.
Ingredients for Babka Crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar or granulated white sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla sugar, optional
6 Tablespoons canola oil
Directions:
For the Babka:
Parve — yields 3 loaves — freezer friendly
1. Combine water, yeast, and sugars in a large bowl; proof for 5 minutes, until foaming.
2. In a small bowl, combine oil with eggs; add to yeast mixture.
3. 1 cup at a time, add flour to the yeast mixture, followed by salt. Knead to combine. Turn dough out onto floured work surface; knead for 3-5 minutes until flour is well blended and a dough ball forms. The dough should be soft but not oily.
4. Sprinkle a bowl with 2 tablespoons flour. Transfer dough to the bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place for an hour.
5. Prepare the babka crumbs: Mix crumb ingredients together until crumbs form. The consistency should be similar to wet sand. If desired, add cookie pieces, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or nuts.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 (2-pound) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll 1 portion into a 13x10x¼-inch rectangle. Spread on wet chocolate lava filling, then dust an even layer of the dry chocolate powder filling, and sprinkle with desired mix-in* {optional.}
*I sometimes mix in chocolate sprinkles, chocolate chips, crushed up cookies or cake.
8. Roll dough over filling to form a log. Twist log; fold in half. Place into prepared pan. Cut a shallow slit across the length of the log. Repeat with remaining portions. Top loaves with babka crumbs and toppings.
9. Place loaf pans onto a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes; rotate pans. Bake additional 15 minutes; babka crumb topping should be golden brown.
10. Cool on cooling racks. Do not cut into babka until it has cooled, as dough continues to bake even after being removed from oven.
