For dessert, nothing beats chocolate babka, but most recipes for this Jewish favorite baked goods call for all-purpose flour, which doesn’t work for people with celiac disease or those who don’t eat gluten. So I came up with a gluten-free babka recipe that’s just as sweet, gooey, and indulgent as the original. Additionally, this recipe can easily be made dairy-free using your favorite vegan butter and dairy-free milk.
This is probably the most chocolate-loving chocolate babka recipe ever. First, prepare the moist chocolate filling and customize it to your desired sweetness. Then sprinkle the babka with chocolate chips before baking. Once the babka is baked, pour in the melted chocolate for the final touch.
If you want to be extra indulgent, you can also top my babka with chocolate chips. Simple and very convenient crumb topping before baking. It adds a layer of texture and enhances the appearance of baked goods. I use it in everything from babka to coffee cake to fruit crisps to muffins. Store the streusel topping in an airtight container in the freezer and use as needed. Alternatively, if you have leftover gluten-free cookies or cakes, you can crumble them into crumbs and use the crumbs to top the babka instead.
Note:
- This recipe yields two chocolate babkas. You can also make something a little different by baking it in a loaf pan or rolling it into a cylinder and baking it in a round pan.
- We recommend using Blends by Orly Manhattan Blend Pastry Flour (made with millet and sorghum) or Blends by Orly Tuscany Blend Bread Flour for this recipe.
- You can freeze the babka whole, or you can pre-slice it and freeze it in freezer-safe Ziploc bags. Once the babka has thawed, we recommend wrapping it in foil and heating it in the oven, or heating it slice by slice in the microwave.
For starter dough:
- 3/4 cup (110 g) Manhattan blend or GF breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons Dry active yeast (20g)
- 1/2 cup Milk (dairy-free) (110ml), warm to 105-115°F
for fabric:
- 1/2 cup Sugar (85g)
- 2 big eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/3 cup (220 g) Manhattan Blend + Extra for rolling
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) softened or vegan butter
As for the fillings and toppings:
- 3/4 cup Cocoa powder (90g)
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar (300g)
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) of melted butter or oil
- 1 Egg yolk, for egg washing
- chocolate chips
- Cake flour, powdered sugar, melted chocolate (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two rectangular or round loaf pans.
- Combine the dough starter ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and let stand for 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix Manhattan blend, salt, and baking powder for the dough.
- Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl with the starter and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Finally, slowly add the softened butter and mix all the ingredients until a smooth and shiny dough forms. Chill in the refrigerator until the dough is firm and easy to roll out.
- While the dough is in the refrigerator, prepare the filling. Mix sugar and cocoa powder in a 4:1 ratio in a bowl and set aside. If you want a less sweet chocolate, mix in a 3:1 ratio.
- Using Manhattan blend or gluten-free flour, place the chilled dough on a floured work surface. Divide the dough into two equal-sized parts. Using a rolling pin, roll out the first half of the dough into a rectangle about 2cm thick.
- Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter or oil, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Then generously cover the surface of the dough with the cocoa and sugar mixture, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge. Starting at the long end closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a tight cylinder, then twist the cylinder to form a loose knot. Transfer the dough to a pan and let it rise. (You can also roll the cylinder into a snail shape, like a cinnamon bun, and place it in a round mold to rise.) Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Leave the babka in a warm place (80-100°F or 40-45°C) for 25-30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
- Brush the surface with egg wash and sprinkle with chocolate chips. If you have leftover gluten-free cookies or cakes, crumble them into crumbs and place the crumbs on top of the babka.or make it yourself crumb topping.
- Bake the babka at 350°F (180°C) until the outside is golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. The inside should be very moist.
- Finish by adding powdered sugar and melted chocolate.
Note
- This recipe yields two chocolate babkas. You can also make something a little different by baking it in a loaf pan or rolling it into a cylinder and baking it in a round pan.
- We recommend using Orly’s Blends This recipe uses Manhattan Blend Pastry Flour (made with millet and sorghum) or Orly Tuscany Blend Bread Flour.
- You can freeze the babka whole, or you can pre-slice it and freeze it in freezer-safe Ziploc bags. Once the babka has thawed, we recommend wrapping it in foil and heating it in the oven, or heating it slice by slice in the microwave.
- Preparation time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 40 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- cooking: Ashkenazi