Chocolate Babka!

Is there anyone who doesn't know the Seinfeld Chocolate Babka episode? It's timeless--and means that anyone who lives outside of NYC ought to know what a chocolate babka is (at least know that it's a coveted loaf of bread, right?)...am I right?


So when Paula Shoyer's recipe showed up several times in my FB feed, I finally realized the time had come. Time to make my own chocolate babka.

Paula is author of The Kosher Baker (cover recipe? Chocolate Babka) and a cooking teacher in the DC area. And she is good. Her books are full of delicious recipes accompanied by beautifully styled photos. (Let the record show: my babka looks NOTHING like the beautiful loaf in Paula's photo)...

I also did not make it kosher--I used butter. Three. Sticks. of. Butter. Per. Loaf.

I have officially given up chocolate croissant because now I can eat Chocolate Babka.

I didn't use loaf pans--wish I had--and that is why my little loaves are flattened. Also pinch pinch pinch the seams closed--I lost some of the chocolate filling to the baking pan (it turned into chocolate candy. I pried it off the parchment paper and thoroughly enjoyed it)...

I am going to get some loaf pans and make this again. People are already crazy for it.