House & Garden published the recipe for the chocolate babka bread that made Babka Zana a landmark bakery in Paris.
A Bakery That Introduced Paris to Babka
Babka Zana opened its doors, becoming the first bakery in Paris to import babka.
The establishment quickly gained a reputation for its braided brioche, which features a melt‑in‑the‑mouth center that has kept customers returning for years.
House & Garden obtained the recipe directly from the bakery’s chefs, enabling home recreation.
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Babka is a sweet braided bread that originated in Poland, though its classification remains a subject of debate—some insist it is a cake.
The pastry is commonly found at Jewish bakeries and comes in several variations, including chocolate, cinnamon, apple, sweet cheese, and cinnamon raisin.
The Ingredients and Preparation
The recipe produces one 20cm loaf, serving six people. It requires 250g of T45 flour, 12g of baker’s yeast, 50g of sugar, 100g of whole milk, 80g of softened butter, one whole egg, and 3g of salt. The topping consists of 180g of a spread of choice—typically chocolate—and 40g of chopped hazelnuts.
The process begins by diluting the yeast in warm milk and letting it stand for ten minutes. Meanwhile, the salt, sugar, and flour are mixed together in a food processor or by hand. The egg is added next, followed by the milk and yeast mixture. The dough is then kneaded at medium speed for ten minutes, after which the cubed butter is incorporated. This step takes approximately fifteen minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Once the dough reaches the correct consistency, it is shaped into a ball, placed in a bowl, and covered with a tea towel to rest for two hours. The recipe notes that the dough can be prepared the day before and left to rest in a cool place, which many bakers find convenient for planning ahead.
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Shaping and Baking the Babka
After the resting period, the dough is rolled out into a rectangle that spans the length of the baking mold and is three times its width. The spread is warmed in a bain‑marie to make it easier to work with, then spread evenly across the dough surface. Chopped hazelnuts are scattered over the top, with a few reserved for the final garnish.
The dough is then rolled widthwise into a log shape. This log is cut in half lengthwise, exposing the swirl pattern. The two pieces are braided together with the cut side facing up. The braided dough is placed into a greased baking tin lined with greaseproof paper, then covered again with a tea towel to rest for at least one hour.
The oven is preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. The loaf bakes in a preheated oven. The bread bakes for 25 to 30 minutes. While it bakes, a simple sugar syrup is prepared by boiling 40g of water with 40g of sugar in a saucepan. Five minutes after removing the loaf from the oven, it is unmolded and brushed with the syrup. The reserved hazelnuts are added as a final garnish before serving.
This recipe first appeared in Architectural Digest France. Images for the article were sourced from Unsplash.
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