You don't know Babka...! (BBD#53)

There are so many on-line forums for cooks and bakers. I can't say I have explored many of them, but through the Daring Kitchen, I do learn about some. On of them is Bread Baking Day. As one who loves to both bake and eat bread, this is one that I kind of drool over from time to time. I even tried to participate a while back. There was a chocolate bread theme, and I made chocolate-chocolate chip challah. Yummy, and perfect for the event. But I never blogged it. So I didn't really follow through. But this month is different. Aunty Twin over at CMomCook is the host this month, and I really do like to support her. That and she chose a really yummy theme - swirly breads!
I decided to make a classic swirly bread for our family - chocolate babka.  Babka is a yeasted dough rolled and swirled with yumminess.  This is something I have made before, but this time I had the best helper - Little Miss and her three year old baking expertise!
I started the dough during rest time, and it comes together pretty much like any other dough, so no really fun pictures of that.  (I did use my usual substitutions - soy milk and margarine.)
Little Girl was super excited to punch down the dough:

And then she wanted to roll it into a square:

 I also let her measure and mix the chocolate cinnamon sugar filling (I did the chopping while she slept, though):

 Then the filling was spread onto the dough with expert hands:

 I handled the rolling part:

 And the twisting for swirly effect:

 She did take over with the camera when I put the loaf into the pan to proof:

 Baked and ready to show off it's inner beauty:

 Chocolaty swirls!!

 I love how the swirls look different depending on where you cut into the loaf:

Thanks, Aunty Twin, for the fun Day of Bread Baking!  I hope everyone else enjoyed their swirly breads as much as we did!

Chocolate Babka
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
Dough:

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

3/4 cup warm vanilla soy milk(105° to 110°

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

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7.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 2/3 cups), divided

5.85 ounces bread flour (about 1 1/4 cups)

(I used all AP flour, as that is what I had in the house)

5 tablespoons unsalted margarine, cut into pieces and softened

Cooking spray

Filling:

1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/4 c. white, 1/4 c. brown sugar)

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Streusel:

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon margarine, softened

Preparation:

1.  Dissolve 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and yeast in warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and egg yolk. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour and bread flour to milk mixture; beat with dough hook attachment at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add 5 tablespoons margarine, beating until well blended. Scrape dough out onto a floured surface (dough will be very sticky). Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add 1.5 ounces (about 1/3 cup) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will be very soft).
2. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let dough rest 5 minutes.
3. Line the bottom of a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan with parchment paper; coat sides of pan with cooking spray.
4. To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and chocolate in a medium bowl; set aside.
5. Place dough on a generously floured surface; roll dough out into a 16-inch square. Sprinkle filling over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Roll up dough tightly, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam and ends to seal. Holding dough by ends, twist dough 4 times as if wringing out a towel. Fit dough into prepared pan. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
6. Preheat oven to 350°.
7. To prepare streusel, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and 1 tablespoon softened margarine, stirring with a fork until mixture is crumbly; sprinkle streusel evenly over dough. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until loaf is browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool bread completely on wire rack before slicing.