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Sourdough Babka Recipe: How to Make a Chocolate Babka

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: May 10, 2023 • 5 min read

Sourdough brings a tangy flavor to this traditional Jewish bread. The sweet chocolate filling and simple syrup glaze complement the slightly sour note. Learn how to make a perfect sourdough babka at home.

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What Is Sourdough Babka?

Sourdough babka is a naturally leavened version of the classic Jewish twisted bread that originated in Eastern Europe. Made with an enriched dough (similar to a challah or French brioche recipe) and glazed with simple syrup, babka falls somewhere between a sweet bread and a yeasted cake. The sourdough version features wild yeast from an active sourdough starter in place of (or in addition to) commercial active dry yeast.

Traditional European babka featured dried fruit and a cinnamon filling, but when Jewish people settled in New York, chocolate was more inexpensive and readily available, so chocolate babka gained in popularity.

5 Tips for Making Sourdough Babka

Sourdough bread-baking involves many steps and lots of downtime, and sourdough chocolate babka is no exception. Read the recipe in its entirety before getting started to ensure the timing is right. Here’s what else to know:

  1. 1. Use an active starter. You’ll need an active sourdough starter for the babka to rise properly. Use the “float test” to tell if your starter is ready. Start by scooping a small amount of starter into a cup or bowl of lukewarm water. If it floats, it is full of air and ready to leaven. If it sinks, the yeast is not very active, and you may need to feed your starter fresh flour and water a few more times before it is ready. Learn how to revive sourdough starter if yours is sluggish.
  2. 2. Start with a 100 percent hydration starter. The hydration level of a sourdough starter refers to the ratio of flour to water. Depending on your climate and baking preferences, you may choose to keep a thicker or runnier sourdough starter. However, most babka recipes call for a 100 percent hydration starter, meaning that your starter contains equal amounts of flour and water by weight. Learn how to use a kitchen scale to achieve this balance.
  3. 3. Make a levain. Some people use the term “levain” (French for “leaven”) interchangeably with “sourdough starter.” However, in many English-language recipes, “levain” refers to a larger starter that you prepare the night before baking with sourdough. Making a levain allows you to maintain a smaller sourdough starter at home while harnessing the power of a larger starter that you might have access to at a commercial bakery. The levain also allows you to change the hydration level of the starter to suit the recipe and kick-start the fermentation process.
  4. 4. Add commercial yeast for insurance. Sourdough starter adds a wonderful tang to babka, but wild yeast can be delicate and unpredictable. To ensure your bread rises properly, add a teaspoon or so of active dry yeast to the dough along with the starter. That way, you’ll get the tang of sourdough with the reliability of commercial yeast. Learn how to activate yeast from a packet to ensure it is fresh.
  5. 5. Store the sourdough babka properly. Store sourdough babka in an airtight container, like a resealable plastic bag, for up to three days at room temperature. Slice and freeze the sourdough babka in a freezer bag for long-term storage.

Chocolate-Cinnamon Sourdough Babka Recipe

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makes

1 9-inch loaf

prep time

25 min

total time

1 hr 10 min

cook time

45 min

Ingredients

For the levain:

For the dough:

For the filling:

For the egg wash:

For the simple syrup glaze:

Note: The total time does not include 30 hours of inactive time.

Make the levain (Day 1):

  1. 1

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, water, and all-purpose flour.

  2. 2

    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot (ideally 68–77 degrees Fahrenheit) to rise overnight or at least 8 hours.

Make the dough (Day 2):

  1. 1

    The next day, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the levain, water, all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt, milk, sugar, and egg.

  2. 2

    Knead the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes.

  3. 3

    With the mixer on low speed, add the room-temperature butter a little bit at a time, kneading the dough for 15 minutes to develop gluten.

  4. 4

    Take a small piece of dough and spread it as thin as possible. When the dough is spread thin enough to hold it up to a window and see the light through without ripping, it passes the windowpane test and is ready for the next step. If not, continue to knead.

  5. 5

    Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a flexible bench scraper and form the dough into a ball.

  6. 6

    Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rest and proof for 4–6 hours at room temperature.

  7. 7

    Refrigerate the dough overnight.

Make the filling and shape the dough (Day 3):

  1. 1

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the chocolate, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until the sugar dissolves and the chocolate melts.

  2. 2

    Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.

  3. 3

    Punch down the dough, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

  4. 4

    Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 16-inch square.

  5. 5

    With an offset spatula, spread the chocolate filling on the surface of the dough and almost to the edges, leaving a ½-inch border.

  6. 6

    Starting with the end closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log, as you would cinnamon rolls.

  7. 7

    Adjust the long log, so the seam side is facing down.

  8. 8

    Cut the log in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and join two ends of the long halves together.

  9. 9

    With the joined ends at the top of a work surface, twist the two halves together by placing one half under and one half over. Repeat the process until you have twisted the entire loaf.

  10. 10

    Tuck the ends under the loaf and place the shaped babka in the greased loaf pan.

  11. 11

    Cover the babka loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dishtowel.

  12. 12

    Set the dough in a warm spot (68–77 degrees Fahrenheit) until it nearly doubles in size, 4–6 hours.

Bake and glaze the babka (Day 3):

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. 2

    Bake the babka until golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit, about 45 minutes.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, make the simple syrup. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the water and sugar.

  4. 4

    Boil until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.

  5. 5

    Brush the simple syrup over the top of the baked babka.

  6. 6

    Transfer the glazed babka to a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature.

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