Pain Suisse Babka

Brioche, pastry cream, and mini chocolate chips all rolled up to make this Pain Suisse Babka – think cinnamon raisin bread but better. Also this would make the most unreal french toast.

Can you make this Babka in advance?

If you want to bake it the night before, you definitely can; just make sure to let it cool completely and then wrap it up in plastic. Alternatively, you can make the dough in advance and wrap it in plastic on a quarter sized baking sheet and leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning shape the babka and then bake it!

Chocolate chips vs chopped chocolate

Usually with baking I recommend using high quality chopped chocolate but this is the one recipe where I’m going to tell you to get the classic mini chocolate chips. You want them to hold their shape to get those little bites of chocolate and not have the chocolate melt too much in the filling.

What is the filling in Babka Bread?

Traditionally there is a chocolate babka and a cinnamon sugar babka. However, this one is a pan suisse babka with pastry cream (which is kinda like a custard that’s been thickened with starch) and mini chocolate chips.

How do I know when the dough is finished kneading?

This dough should pass the window pane test which means that when a golf ball sized piece is torn off, you should be able to stretch it gently until light passes through but without it tearing. I usually check it once all of the butter has been fully kneaded into the dough.

You may also like…

• Cardamom Babka
• Chocolate Cinnamon Roll
• Lemon Poppyseed Bun

Tips for making a Pain Suisse Babka

• Make sure the egg and butter are both at room temperature and make sure the salt doesn’t directly touch the yeast.
• To cut down on time in the morning, you can the dough the night before. Once the dough is fully kneaded and wrapped up on the quarter sized baking sheet, it can be kept in the fridge for anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. In the morning take the dough out of the fridge and continue with assembling!
• This dough takes a while to knead and it is quite soft. Don’t be scared to turn up the speed a little once it has come together but know that it will take a bit and it’s ok if it’s still a bit sticky once done kneading.
• When making yeasted dough, ensure that you allow your mixer to fully knead the dough, until it forms a smooth ball and the sides of the bowl are cleaned. This will happen twice while kneading the dough, once before the butter is added and once after.
• When rolling out the dough, try to make it as rectangular as possible. This will help when it comes shaping and cutting the twist. I use a bench scraper to keep reshaping into a rectangle as I roll it because it can be tricky to reshape at the end.
• Depending on where the heat in your oven comes from, make sure to bake the babka in the middle. If you have heat coming from the top and bottom make sure to place it just below the center rack.
• If you aren’t using this USA loaf pan, I recommend lining the loaf pan with parchment paper to prevent it from sticking.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for this! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar in the dough, filling and the simple syrup.
• Yeast: In this recipe, instant yeast is used. However, if you are using active dry, simply whisk it in with the warm milk and let it sit for 10 minutes first and then add in the remaining ingredients.
• Salt: Fine sea salt is used to balance out the sweetness and enhance the flavors.
• Milk: The dough use milk as the liquid in the dough and the pastry cream.
• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store. There is one whole egg in the dough and one egg yolk in the pastry cream.
• Corn Starch: A little starch is added into the filling to thicken the pastry cream.
• Butter: The butter adds moisture to the dough and the filling! I recommend salted butter!
• Vanilla: Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste is added into the pastry cream, both will work!
• Mini Chocolate Chips: Semi sweet or dark chocolate chips will work for this!

How to make a Pain Suisse Babka

Brioche

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the sugar, flour, and yeast, and whisk to combine.
• Then add in the egg and warm milk, and then sprinkle in the salt.
• Use a dough hook to knead everything together on medium low speed for 15 minutes until the dough has smooth edges and the bowl is clean.
• Add half of the butter in and knead again until incorporated (about 5 minutes). Add in the second half of the butter and knead once more until smooth. The dough should pass the window pane test *see notes section for more info.
• Place the smooth ball of dough into the mixing bowl and cover with a lid. Set it somewhere warm to double in size (depending on how warm your home is this can take anywhere between 30 minutes to over an hour).
• If you are prepping the night before, line a quarter sized baking sheet with a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a rough rectangle that is about an inch thick. Top the dough with another sheet of plastic wrap.
• Place the dough on the sheet pan into the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. I usually keep it in there for about 2 hours but make it work in your schedule!

Pastry Cream filling

• While the dough is proofing, start on the pastry cream.
• Whisk together the sugar, starch, and salt in a medium sauce pot. Pour in the milk and the egg yolk and whisk again.
• Heat over medium low heat, whisking constantly. It will start to look a little lumpy, just keep whisking and cooking until the entire mixture becomes thick and smooth.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
• Pour the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve onto a quarter sized baking sheet or a shallow dish.
• Cover the surface with a layer of plastic to keep it from forming a skin.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Assemble

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Or just below if the heat comes from the top of the oven.
• If not using this USA loaf pan, line your loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, it’s time to assemble. Lightly dust your work surface with a bit of flour. Scoop out the dough and lightly flour both sides.
• Roll the dough out to a 10″ x 18″ rectangle.
• Spread the pastry cream over the entire surface of the dough.
• Sprinkle the surface with the mini chocolate chips. It’s meant to be a lot so feel free to measure with your heart but also I’ve written an estimate in the ingredients section.
• Roll the dough up, starting with one short side. Roll it up tightly but make sure not to squeeze out the filling.
• Once fully rolled, seal the edge of the dough to the roll by pinching the dough to the roll. Give the roll a few squeezes while also ever so slightly stretching it out.
• Use a long sharp knife to cut the roll in half lengthwise. Open the two halves so that the cut sides are face up. Cross the two halves over one another creating an X.
• Then, twist the two halves together keeping the cut sides face up. Pinch the ends of each half together to keep it from untwisting. Then twist the other half together and repeat pinching the ends.
• Trim about 1″ off the ends of the twist. Then lower it into the pan, you will have to scrunch the twist together a little to make it fit which will make the twist fatter. Gently press the twist down so that it reaches the sides of the pan.
• Cover the pan with plastic and set aside for at 30-45 minutes to proof until puffy. It should grow to the top of the pan before baking.

Bake

• Bake the babka in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.
• Make the simple syrup while the babka bakes. Combine water and sugar in a microwave safe bowl or glass. Heat in 15-30 second intervals, carefully stirring in between until all of the sugar has dissolved.
• The twist should be a deep golden brown once done baking. Take the pan out of the oven and spoon or brush the simple syrup over the top.
• Let the twist cool for at least ten minutes, ideally at least 30. Carefully tip the twist out, and place it upright on a sheet of parchment.
• Allow the babka to cool fully before cutting into it (if you can).

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