What’s better than babka? Mini babkas! These tasty buns are filled with dark chocolate, cinnamon, and brown sugar – perfect for dessert, or a sweet breakfast treat. If you don’t have many mouths to feed, freeze half to save for another day.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 babka muffins
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 350 g / 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 g / 1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 160 ml / 2/3 cup whole milk
- 76 g / 1/3 cup Mirage margarine, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 75 g / 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 g / 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 5 ml / 1 tsp almond extract
For the Filling:
- 227 g / 1 1/4 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate
- 60 g / 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 54 g / 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 g / 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 56 g / 1/4 cup Mirage margarine, melted and cooled
Directions
For the Dough:
- In a medium bowl whisk to combine the flour and yeast.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer place the milk, Mirage margarine, sugar, eggs, salt, and almond extract. Mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture 1 cup (125 grams) at a time, until no visible flour remains.
- Switch to the hook attachment and increase speed to medium; mix for 8 minutes – the dough will become elastic and be quite wet.
- Gently scrape the dough into a large greased bowl using a bowl scraper or plastic spatula. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. While dough is rising prepare the filling.
For the Filling:
- Place the chocolate, ground almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until small crumbs form.
- Add the melted Mirage margarine and pulse a few more times until the mixture becomes a sand-like paste.
For the Babka:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and grease a 12 cup muffin tin.
- Once dough has risen, scrape it onto a well floured rolling surface and press gently to release gas; sprinkle more flour on top of the dough.
- Flour a rolling pin and roll dough into a 12 x 18 inch (30 x 46 centimetre) rectangle.
- Sprinkle the chocolate filling over the dough as evenly as possible, leaving one inch (2.5 centimetre) on each short side uncovered.
- Roll up the dough tightly, starting with one of the short ends; pinch seam to seal and place seam side down.
- With a sharp knife, slice roll into twelve pieces approximately 1 inch (2.5 centimetre) wide.
- Press each slice into a muffin cup, cover lightly with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 20 minutes.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let babka muffins cool completely in the pan, then release by running a small offset spatula or greased knife around the edges.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Reheat in a 325℉ (160℃) oven for 5 – 7 minutes.
Chef Notes
- For chocolate hazelnut babka muffins swap half the dark chocolate for milk chocolate and ground hazelnuts for the almonds.