Giant chocolate babka rolls are the most decadent and delicious treat. Imagine biting into a muffin that is soft and fluffy on the inside, with swirls of rich, chocolatey babka throughout. It’s like a party in your mouth! Parties are always better with friends. Invite some Blueberry Zucchini Muffins and Banana Nut Bread.
These rolls are the perfect indulgence for those days when you need a pick-me-up. The combination of chocolate and babka is simply heavenly. The muffins are so big that you can easily share them with friends or family. Or, if you’re like me, you might want to keep them all to yourself!
If you love chocolate (who doesn’t), check out my recipe for Healthy Chocolate Eggs.
This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Key Takeaways:
- Decadent Indulgence: Giant Chocolate Babka Rolls are soft, fluffy, and packed with rich, chocolatey swirls, making them a perfect treat for chocolate lovers.
- Shareable Delight: These oversized muffins are ideal for sharing with friends and family or savoring on your own when you need a pick-me-up.
- Pro Baking Tip: Use simple syrup to give the rolls a shiny finish and keep them moist for longer.
- Brain-Boosting Chocolate: Dark chocolate in the recipe not only enhances the flavor but also provides cognitive benefits, thanks to its antioxidants and magnesium content.
- Versatile Ingredients: Substitutions like plant-based milk and regular yeast are easy to incorporate, making this recipe flexible.
- Step-by-Step Simplicity: From creating soft dough to assembling and baking, the detailed instructions ensure professional-quality results at home.
Overview
Giant Chocolate Babka Rolls are the ultimate indulgent treat—part pastry, part muffin, and 100% irresistible. These oversized rolls are made with rich, buttery dough that’s carefully folded and braided with a luxurious dark chocolate ganache filling, then baked until golden and pillowy soft. Each bite is a swirl of decadent chocolate and tender bread, making them the perfect pick-me-up or shareable delight for brunches, gatherings, or cozy afternoons at home. Not only do they satisfy every sweet craving, but they also bring added brain-boosting benefits from the antioxidant-rich dark chocolate used in the filling. With clear step-by-step instructions and simple ingredient swaps like plant-based milk or regular yeast, this recipe is both approachable and flexible for home bakers. For an extra pro-level finish, a brush of homemade simple syrup adds bakery-style shine and moisture. Whether you’re sharing with loved ones or savoring solo, these babka rolls turn any day into a celebration.
SIS Tip - Simple is Smart
For an extra shiny finish on your baked bread goods, brush the tops of them with simple syrup. To make simple syrup, use equal parts Karo syrup and water. If you don’t have Karo syrup, make the simple syrup with equal parts granulated sugar and water.
Heat the mixture to dissolve the sugar and let it cool to room temperature before brushing on the muffins.
The simple syrup mixture adds a beautiful shine to the bread and also helps keep the bread from drying out.
Neuro Nutrition Nugget - Dark Chocolate.
Are you a chocolate lover? Well, here’s some exciting news for you – dark chocolate is not only delicious, but it’s also good for your brain! Yes, you heard that right. The consumption of dark chocolate has been linked to numerous health benefits, and its positive impact on the brain is one of them.
The cocoa present in dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that help protect the brain from damage caused by free radicals. These flavonoids also promote the growth of blood vessels and neurons in the brain, which enhances cognitive function. As a result, regular consumption of dark chocolate can help prevent age-related cognitive decline and improve memory retention.
But that’s not all! The caffeine and theobromine present in dark chocolate act as natural stimulants, which can improve focus and concentration. In fact, a study has shown that consuming dark chocolate before taking a cognitive test can significantly improve performance.
Furthermore, dark chocolate also contains magnesium, which is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in brain function. Magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters in the brain, which are responsible for transmitting signals between nerve cells. It also helps reduce stress and anxiety levels, which can have a positive impact on overall brain health.
So, the next time you crave something sweet, reach for a piece of dark chocolate instead of other sugary treats. Not only will it satisfy your sweet tooth, but it will also provide numerous health benefits to your brain. To sum it up, dark chocolate is a delicious way to boost brain function and prevent cognitive decline. Indulge in some guilt-free dark chocolate today and reap the benefits!
Giant Chocolate Babka Rolls Ingredients
Babka Dough
- Butter: I use salted butter. The butter creates little steam pockets in the dough resulting in a light and airy roll.
- Whole Milk – You can substitute plant based almond or coconut milk. The milk helps the dough absorb moisture. The result is a pillowy soft roll.
- Water – filtered water
- Sugar – granulated white sugar acts as a preservative and helps the bread stay soft.
- Eggs – large or extra large eggs create a large crumb.
- Bread Flour – helps the bread rise, gives a large crumb, and stretches to help the butter create the fluffy texture we all love.
- SAF Gold Yeast – works better with a high sugar, high fat, and high moisture dough. If you don’t have Gold use two packets of regular yeast.
- Salt – essential as a flavor enhancer.
Chocolate Filling
- Butter – Thins the chocolate, making it spreadable
- dark chocolate – Use a high quality chocolate like a Lindt or Ghiradelli bar.
- poppy seeds – add texture to the chocolate ganache creating interest and flavor.
- powdered sugar – thickens the chocolate ganache
- baking cocoa -I use dutch process. The cocoa has starch and acts as a thickener.
Simple Syrup
- Sugar – granulated white sugar
- Water – filtered water
Step by Step Instruction for Chocolate Babka Rolls
Make the Pastry Dough
- Mix the yeast, salt, and flour together.
- Put all of the rest of the pastry ingredients into the stand mixer bowl.
- Add the flour on top and mix for 2 minutes on low.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on medium for 10 minutes. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Then refrigerate the dough for 2-3 hours or as long as overnight.
Make the Chocolate Filling
- About 15 minutes before the 2-3 hour rest period in the fridge is up make the chocolate ganache. Once it’s made put it in the fridge to firm up. The ganache should be firm enough to spread without oozing out the edges of the dough when you envelope fold, cut, and braid the dough.
- Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. Melt at 30-second intervals on medium and stir after every 30 seconds until melted.
- Add the rest of the filling ingredients to the melted chocolate and butter.
Assemble the Twisted rolls
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 12 X 18 inches.
- Spread the filling on the rolled-out dough.
- Fold the bottom half of the dough up to 6 inches from the top of the dough. Then fold the top down over the two layers of folded dough. (like an envelope)
- Cut the dough into six equal pieces that are 3 X 4 inches each.
- Starting 1 inch in from the edge, cut each piece of dough into three strips. Be careful to leave them attached at one end.
- Braid the three strands of each piece.
- Roll the braided dough into a ball. Place each roll into the well of a greased giant muffing pan.
- Cover, and let rise for 2 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake for 45 – 60 minutes. Check the internal temperature at 45 minutes with an instant-read thermometer.
- Continue to bake until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and brush with the simple syrup.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
Pop on over to my social media sites, where you’ll find exclusive Dr. Joanette’s pictures of what’s new in my gardens. Also, what new recipes I’m creating in my kitchen? I love your comments. After the recipe, the comment section is at the end of the blog. So let me know what you think in the Leave a Reply section at the end of this blog. Please leave your first name at the end of your comment, and I will reply by name.
FAQ:
Can I use regular yeast instead of SAF Gold Yeast?
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
What is the purpose of brushing with simple syrup?
Can I substitute the milk with non-dairy alternatives?
How do I store leftover rolls?
What type of dark chocolate is best for the filling?
Giant Chocolate Babka Muffin
Equipment
- To see the ingredient amounts in metric units, click the "METRIC:" button between the ingredients and the instructions for this recipe.
- A large Muffin pan I use a silicon pan as the rolls come out easier.
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 5 tbsp. butter (50g)
- ⅓ cup whole milk (50g)
- ⅓ cup water (50g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups bread flour (270g)
- 1 tbsp. SAF Gold Yeast
- 1½ tsp salt
Chocolate Poppyseed Filling
- 12 tbsp. butter
- 8 oz dark chocolate
- 5 tbsp. poppy seeds
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup baking cocoa
Simple Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Karo Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Water
Instructions
Make the Pastry Dough
- Mix the yeast, salt, and flour together.
- Put all of the rest of the pastry ingredients into the stand mixer bowl with the dough hook.
- Add the flour on top and mix for 2 minutes on low.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on medium for 10 minutes more. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Then refrigerate the dough for 2-3 hours or as long as overnight.
Make the Chocolate Filling
- About 15 minutes before the 2-3 hour rest period in the fridge is up make the chocolate ganache. Once it's made, put it in the fridge to firm up. The ganache should be firm enough to spread without oozing out the edges of the dough when you envelope fold, cut, and braid the dough.
- Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. Melt at 30-second intervals on medium and stir after every 30 seconds until melted.
- Add the rest of the filling ingredients to the melted chocolate and butter.
Assemble the Twisted rolls
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 12 X 18 inches.
- Spread the filling on the rolled-out dough.
- Fold the bottom half of the dough up to 6 inches from the top of the dough. Then fold the top down over the two layers of folded dough. (like an envelope). Gently Press the layers together by rolling lightly. The dough will spread out to be about 14 inches wide. That's ok.
- Cut the dough into six equal pieces that are about 2.5 X 6 inches each.
- Starting 1 inch in from the edge, cut each piece of dough into three strips. Be careful to leave them attached at one end.
- Braid the three strands of each piece.
- Roll the braided dough into a ball.
- Place each roll into the well of a greased giant muffing pan.
- Cover, and let rise for 2 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake for 45 - 60 minutes. Check the internal temperature at 45 minutes with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to bake until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and brush with the simple syrup.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
