RUSS AND DAUGHTERS CHOCOLATE BABKA RECIPES

Steps:

• Make the sponge: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, add lukewarm milk, yeast, ? cup flour, and 4 teaspoons sugar. Using a spatula, mix until well combined, then cover with and let sit for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.  Once the sponge has formed some air pockets, add in 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk (reserving the egg white for the egg wash), remaining 1 cup flour, remaining ¼ cup sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed until well combined, then gradually increase to medium-high speed. Continue mixing, scraping down bowl every 2 to 3 minutes, until dough becomes elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 6 to 8 minutes. With the mixer running, add in butter gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, letting each tablespoon fully incorporate into the dough before adding the next, 5 minutes. Continue mixing on medium-high speed until the dough is glossy and passes the windowpane test, 3 to 5 minutes more. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. 30 minutes before you’re ready to assemble the babka, make chocolate filling: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together butter, cream, and 1 cup chocolate chips in 20-second increments until smooth, stirring between each heating to prevent burning. Stir in zest, if using, and salt. Let cool before using. Make streusel: In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Using your finger tips, work in butter until evenly distributed and tiny clumps of streusel form. Refrigerate until ready for use. Make egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together reserved egg white with sugar and salt.  Transfer chilled dough out onto a floured surface and roll out into a thin 16” square. Brush dough with melted butter. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate filling into an even layer across the dough, then sprinkle remaining ¾ cup chocolate chips on top. Tightly roll dough into a rope, then fold the rope in half and braid the two segments around each other with 3 twists.  Line a 8 ½”-x-4 ½” loaf pan with parchment. Place braided dough into loaf pan, tucking in the ends of the rope underneath. Gently press dough into an even layer. Brush more egg wash over the entire loaf, then sprinkle on streusel and press lightly to adhere to loaf. Cover and let proof until dough rises almost to the lip of the pan, about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake.  Bake until deeply golden on top and the center of the loaf registers between 190° and 205°, 45 to 50 minutes. Lift loaf out by the ends of the parchment and transfer onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing.

Steps:

• Stir together warm milk and 2 teaspoons sugar in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Add 1/2 cup flour to yeast mixture and beat at medium speed until combined. Add whole eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low, then mix in remaining 2 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Increase speed to medium, then beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, and continue to beat until dough is shiny and forms strands from paddle to bowl, about 4 minutes. (Dough will be very soft and sticky.)
• Scrape dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Line each loaf pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper (1 lengthwise and 1 crosswise).
• Punch down dough with a lightly oiled rubber spatula, then halve dough. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a well-floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into an 18- by 10-inch rectangle and arrange with a long side nearest you.
• Beat together yolk and cream. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Brush some of egg wash on long border nearest you.
• Sprinkle half of chocolate evenly over buttered dough, then sprinkle with half of sugar (2 tablespoons). Starting with long side farthest from you, roll dough into a snug log, pinching firmly along egg-washed seam to seal. Bring ends of log together to form a ring, pinching to seal. Twist entire ring twice to form a double figure 8 and fit into one of lined loaf pans.
• Make another babka with remaining dough, some of egg wash, and remaining butter and chocolate in same manner. Chill remaining egg wash, covered, to use later. Loosely cover pans with buttered plastic wrap (buttered side down) and let babkas rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until dough reaches top of pans, 1 to 2 hours. (Alternatively, let dough rise in pans in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours; bring to room temperature, 3 to 4 hours, before baking.)
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush tops of dough with remaining egg wash. Bake until tops are deep golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped (when loaves are removed from pans), about 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to a rack and cool to room temperature.