Dark Cocoa Hazelnut Brown Butter Babka

Combine flour, yeast, white-sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center.

Warm the whole-milk until just lukewarm (about 38°C / 100°F). Pour it into the well along with the egg and the 100g of room-temperature butter.

Mix on low with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, supple, and pulls away from the bowl sides. It should feel slightly tacky but not sticky.

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Alternatively, refrigerate for a slow cold-ferment overnight — Helena would approve.

In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the 80g of butter for the brown butter, swirling the pan occasionally.

Continue cooking until the milk solids turn a deep golden-amber and the butter smells nutty and caramelized, about 5–7 minutes. Watch it carefully — it goes from perfect to burnt quickly.

Immediately pour through a fine sieve into a bowl to stop the cooking. Let cool to room temperature before using in the filling.

Toast the hazelnut in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until the skins crack and the nuts are fragrant. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove as much skin as possible. Let cool completely.

Roughly chop the toasted hazelnut into small pieces. In a bowl, combine them with the cocoa-powder, brown-sugar, salt, and the 40g of softened butter.

Add the cooled brown butter to the filling mixture and stir together until a thick, spreadable paste forms.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the risen dough into a rectangle roughly 40cm x 50cm with an even thickness of about 5mm.

Spread the cocoa hazelnut filling evenly across the entire surface, leaving a 1cm border along one of the long edges.

Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly into a log, using the heel of your hand to seal the final seam.

Using a sharp bench scraper or serrated knife, cut the log in half lengthwise, exposing the beautiful swirl pattern. Carefully cross the two halves over each other and twist gently, keeping the cut sides facing outward.

Carefully transfer the twisted babka into a lightly buttered loaf pan (roughly 25cm x 13cm / 10in x 5in), coiling it if needed to fit.

Beat the remaining egg for the egg wash and brush it generously over the entire exposed surface of the babka. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp of white-sugar over the top.

Cover loosely and let proof at room temperature for 45–60 minutes until noticeably puffed and jiggly when gently shaken. The dough should feel light and full of air.

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Bake the babka for 30–35 minutes until the crust is a deep, even mahogany and the internal temperature reads at least 93°C (200°F).

Allow the babka to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing — the swirl needs time to set.