Is there anyone who doesn’t know the Seinfeld Chocolate Babka episode? It’s timeless–and means that anyone who lives outside of NYC ought to know what a chocolate babka is (at least know that it’s a coveted loaf of bread, right?)…am I right?

So when Paula Shoyer’s recipe showed up several times in my FB feed, I finally realized the time had come. Time to make my own chocolate babka.

Paula is author of The Kosher Baker (cover recipe? Chocolate Babka) and a cooking teacher in the DC area. And she is good. Her books are full of delicious recipes accompanied by beautifully styled photos. (Let the record show: my babka looks NOTHING like the beautiful loaf in Paula’s photo)…

I also did not make it kosher–I used butter. Three. Sticks. of. Butter. Per. Loaf.

I have officially given up chocolate croissant because now I can eat Chocolate Babka.

I didn’t use loaf pans–wish I had–and that is why my little loaves are flattened. Also pinch pinch pinch the seams closed–I lost some of the chocolate filling to the baking pan (it turned into chocolate candy. I pried it off the parchment paper and thoroughly enjoyed it)…

I am going to get some loaf pans and make this again. People are already crazy for it.