Recipes for "chocolate cheesecake"

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Mix cookie crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl until well combined. Press mixture into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Place in the refrigerator for crust to set, about 30 minutes.

Place chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Blend in eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until just incorporated. Gradually pour in melted chocolate, beating on low speed until well blended. Add 1/2 cup sour cream, flour, and vanilla. Blend until smooth, then pour into crust.

Bake in the preheated oven until center is set and filling is firm, 55 to 60 minutes. Turn the oven off. Cool cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour without opening the door. Remove cheesecake to the counter and cool completely at room temperature. Transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill for several hours to overnight.

Stir 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tablespoon sugar together in a small bowl until well combined. Spread over chilled cheesecake before serving; garnish with chocolate shavings.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal s-blade attachment, add the graham crackers. Pulse until they are ground fine like sand (you should have about 1 1/4 cups).

Add the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Pulse 2 or 3 times until just combined. Pour melted butter around the bowl in a circle, pulse 4 or 5 times combine it. The mixture should clump a little bit, but may still look a little dry.

Dump the mixture into the bottom of your ungreased 9 x 2 3/4-inch round springform pan. Use your fingers or the underside of a cup to press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, making it as even as possible.

Place the crust in the oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Once the crust has baked, reduce the oven to 300°F.

In a medium-sized, heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat, combine the chopped chocolate and 1/3 cup heavy cream. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside. You will fold it into your filling later.

In a small bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, gently beat the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together with a fork. Set it aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer set to low and a large bowl), add the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese on low or stir speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Beat again on low for about 1 minute. With the stand mixer still on low, slowly add the sugar and cocoa powder. Stop the mixer. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Beat for another minute or two until light and fluffy.

With the mixture still on low, add the egg mixture, 1/3 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Pour the cooled, melted chocolate into the bowl of the stand mixer and (you guessed it!) beat on low for about a minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat on low again for about 30 seconds, or until the chocolate is fully incorporated. Alternatively, you can fold in the chocolate using a spatula.

Wrap the outside of the springform pan in 3 layers of wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil. Be careful not to tear or puncture the foil. Bring the foil all the way up the sides. Set it inside a roasting pan or a large Dutch oven.

Pour the filling into the springform pan.

Fill the roasting pan with warm water about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. (I usually just heat it in a tea kettle.) Be careful not to splash any water into the cheesecake pan or inside the foil.

Put the pan in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is just barely set in the center, 55 to 65 minutes. It will still jiggle slightly, but shouldn’t slosh in the center when moved.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let the cake cool in the water bath for about an hour. Then remove it from the water bath and transfer it to a cooling rack on the counter for another hour. Finally, keep the cake in the springform pan, and let it chill, uncovered, overnight in the fridge.

Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

Pour the heated cream over the chopped chocolate. Don’t stir. Let sit for 5 minutes, then add the vanilla. Use a spatula and stir gently to combine. Let the ganache cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the cheesecake.

The ganache is probably too thick to pour. Simply warm it in the microwave for 15-second intervals (or more depending on how powerful your microwave is) until it’s pourable. (Be careful, though—chocolate can burn quickly in a microwave.) Stir it gently.

Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Pour about half of the ganache over the top, just until it drips down a little on the sides. You probably won’t use all of the ganache. Save the rest to add to hot milk for the most luxurious hot cocoa or freeze it in scoopfuls for when you need a little chocolate fix.

Combine peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave until melted and evenly combined, about 45 seconds. Add graham cracker crumbs into a pie plate. Pour peanut butter mixture over graham cracker crumbs and stir. Flatten crust into the bottom and up the sides of pie plate using the back of a spoon.

Mix sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, and chocolate syrup together in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed until combined.

Combine dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave on 50% power until melted, stirring every 15 seconds, about 1 minute. Mix chocolate mixture into cream cheese mixture on low speed, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until filling is smooth. Pour filling into crust and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Line 13x9-inch pan with parchment, with ends of parchment extending over sides. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; pour into prepared pan.

Beat remaining ingredients with mixer until blended. Spoon over cake batter; swirl gently with knife.

BAKE 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out with clean. Cool completely. Use parchment handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting to serve.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Combine cookie crumbs, butter, and 3 pinches sugar in a medium bowl; mix until well blended. Press into the bottom and up sides of the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes. Completely cool crust in the pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 1 3/4 cups sugar and flour; beat until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed just until yellow disappears before adding the next; beat in vanilla.

Divide batter into 2 equal portions in separate medium bowls. Pour 1 portion into the prepared crust; spread evenly.

Place bittersweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power until melted and smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

Whisk coffee liqueur and espresso granules together in a small bowl until espresso dissolves; stir into remaining batter portion. Stir melted bittersweet chocolate into coffee batter until blended.

Gently pour chocolate-coffee batter over plain batter in the crust; spread evenly, the pan will be very full. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until center is almost set but still jiggles slightly when pan gently shaken, 65 to 75 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely, about 2 hours.

Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil; chill 8 to 12 hours. Gently run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan; remove sides of pan.

About 1 hour before serving, heat cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium just to a simmer. Place semisweet chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl; pour cream mixture over chocolate chips and let stand 1 minute. Whisk gently until smooth. Cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Pour chocolate mixture over top of cheesecake; gently spread to edge of crust. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Garnish if desired.

Using a blender or a food processor, finely chop 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Place in a small mixing bowl. Add vanilla wafer crumbs, ground hazelnuts, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and melted butter or margarine. Mix until well combined. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in a preheated 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) oven for 15 minutes. Cool.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar; mix well. Add the eggs and 3 tablespoons liqueur. Mix until well blended. Coarsely chop 1 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips, and add to the cream cheese mixture. Stir. Pour batter into the cooled crust.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour. Let cake cool for 1 hour. Remove outer ring from pan. Then let cool completely.

Melt 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips over hot (not boiling) water. Stir until smooth. Dip 13 hazelnuts into the chocolate, covering one-half of each nut. Shake off the excess chocolate. Place on a waxed-paper lined plate. Chill until set.

To the remaining melted chocolate, add sour cream. Mix well. Stir in 1 tablespoon liqueur. Spread glaze on top of the cooled cheesecake. Garnish with chocolate dipped hazelnuts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan.

For filling, combine contents of cocoa packet from mix, 1/4 cup cake mix, cream cheese and melted chocolate in large bowl. Beat at high speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add eggs and cream. Beat at high speed for 1 minute. Set aside.

For crust, stir remaining cake mix and melted butter in medium bowl. Mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle mixture into pan. Pour filling over mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish individual servings with dollops of whipped cream and strawberries.

Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray bottom of 9-inch springform pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter; sprinkle evenly into bottom of pan.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Mix in cocoa and flour. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Chill. Garnish as desired.

Line bottom of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Stir cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a small microwave-safe bowl. Press crumb mixture into bottom of the prepared pan. Chill crust while preparing filling. Wipe out bowl.

Microwave chocolate in same bowl on High, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk cocoa powder and hot water together in a bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well combined. Fold in cooled melted chocolate.

In a large bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold in chocolate-cream cheese mixture until well combined; spoon into chilled crust, spreading evenly.

Chill, covered, at least 4 hours or up to 1 week before serving. Garnish with additional cookies.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add melted butter and stir until well mixed. Pat into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, and flour. Beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in sour cream and Irish cream liqueur; mixing on low speed. Pour filling over baked crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), and continue baking for 60 minutes.

With a knife, loosen the cake from the rim of the pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of the pan. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. If your cake cracks, a helpful tip is to dampen a spatula and smooth the top, then sprinkle with some chocolate wafer crumbs.

Gather your ingredients.

Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar; press crumb mixture into bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides of an 8-inch springform pan. Refrigerate crust while you make the filling.

Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave on high power for 1 to 2 minutes, or until melted, stirring every 15 seconds; set aside to cool.

Whisk cocoa powder and enough warm water together in a medium bowl to form a smooth paste.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar into cocoa mixture until combined; set aside.

Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in cooled melted chocolate.

Fold chocolate cream mixture into cream cheese mixture until thoroughly combined; spread on top of graham cracker crust.

Freeze cheesecake for 1 hour. Thaw in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F/165 degrees C (if using a silver 9-inch springform pan) or to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C (if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan).

Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Mix until evenly moistened; press firmly into the bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add melted chocolate; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake in the preheated oven until center is almost set, 55 to 60 minutes. Run the tip of a knife or metal spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen cake; cool before removing sides of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Mix well and press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Pour on melted caramel/pecan mixture and chill for 30 minutes.

To make the Caramel Filling: In a small saucepan, combine caramels and milk. Cook over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Stir in chopped pecans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold 1/3 of the filling into the melted chocolate, then pour the chocolate mixture back into the filling and mix until no streaks remain. Pour into crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until center is almost set. Place a pan of water on rack underneath cheesecake as it bakes to help keep it from cracking. Cool in oven with door cracked open. Refrigerate at least 5 hours before serving.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the caramels with the evaporated milk. Heat and stir frequently until smooth. Pour caramel sauce into crust, and top with pecans.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla; beat well until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Melt the chocolate, and blend into cream cheese mixture. Pour chocolate batter over pecans.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set. Loosen cake from the edges of pan, but do not remove rim until cooled to prevent the top from cracking. Chill in refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter one 9 or 10 inch springform pan.

Combine the chocolate wafer crumbs, softened butter, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and the cinnamon. Mix well and press mixture into the buttered springform pan, set aside.

In a medium sized bowl beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar mixing until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat at low speed until very smooth.

Melt the 8 ounces semisweet chocolate with 2 tablespoons whipping cream in a pan or bowl set over boiling water, stir until smooth.

Add chocolate mixture to cream cheese mixture and blend well. Stir in sour cream, salt, coffee, 1/4 cup coffee liqueur, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake in the center of oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Center will be soft but will firm up when chilled. Do not over bake. Leave cake in oven with the heat turned off and the door ajar for 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and chill for 12 hours. Just before serving top cake with mounds of flavored whipped cream and garnish with chocolate leaves. Yields 16 servings.

To Make Flavored Whipped Cream: Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form, then beat in confectioner's sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur.

To Make Chocolate Leaves: Melt 1 ounce semisweet chocolate in a pan or bowl set over boiling water, stir until smooth. Brush real non-toxic plant leaves (such as orange leaves) on one side with melted chocolate. Freeze until firm and then peel off leaves. Freeze chocolate leaves until needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) Mix cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Refrigerate crust while making filling.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk. Stir in vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour filling into pie crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until filling is set.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until well blended. Press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the side of a 9 inch springform pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool, but do not allow to harden.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs, one at a time on a low speed, or by hand. Gradually stir in the orange juice, and orange zest. Reserve 2 cups of the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the baked crust. Stir the melted chocolate into the reserved batter. Drop the chocolate batter by large spoonfuls onto the white batter. Use a knife to cut through the batter, and leave a swirling design.

Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is almost set. Run a spatula or thin knife around the edge of the pan while it is still warm, so the cake will not crack. Allow cake to cool completely before removing the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

In a large saucepan, heat cream and milk to a simmer over medium heat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk occasionally to prevent any milk at the bottom of the pan from burning.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Place the chocolate pieces into a small bowl. Using a ladle, spoon 1/2 cup of the liquid into the bowl and stir in chocolate, constantly whisking until the chocolate fully melts.

Pour the chocolate liquid back into the saucepan, whisking frequently until the mixture is completely homogeneous. You don't want to see any small bits of chocolate here (otherwise, the custard may not set properly).

If you do see small bits floating in the liquid, set the pan back on low heat, whisking constantly to melt any remaining chocolate. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar for about 1 minute until the mixture lightens in color from bright yellow to medium yellow and thickens slightly.

You're not looking for the ribbon stage, where the yolks lighten to a pale yellow; we're simply incorporating a little air into the yolks for a lighter custard.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Using a ladle, spoon 1/2 cup of the hot chocolate milk into the yolk mixture. Whisk constantly, to prevent curdling, until the liquid is homogeneous. Spoon another 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk again until fully combined. Pour the milk-yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking to combine.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Stir in the espresso powder (if using), kosher salt, and vanilla extract.

Then, strain the chocolate base by pouring it through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. This step helps get out any curdled egg yolk that will affect the texture of the custard.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Place 6 (4-ounce) ramekins in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Fill each ramekin about three-quarters of the way full (or up until the inner rim).

To prepare the hot water bath, use a hot water kettle or spouted measuring cup to fill the pan with hot tap water until it reaches two-thirds of the way up the sides.

Next, lay a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the pan, covering loosely on all sides. Use a fork to prick the foil in several places to help steam escape (avoid pricking holes directly on top of the ramekins).

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Open the oven and pull out the middle rack. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven, then slide it onto the rack. If you’re worried about spilling, you can also place the pan on the rack before adding water and covering with foil. Once on the rack, carefully pour in the water and loosely cover with aluminum foil, pricking a few holes.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the outsides of the custards are set and form a dark ring, but the middle is still a little jiggly.

Gently remove the pan from the oven. Using oven mitts, carefully remove each ramekin from the pan and place onto a wire cooling rack (if you need to, feel free to let the ramekins cool for about 10 minutes before taking them out of the pan).

Let cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until the ramekins are no longer warm to the touch. Then, wrap each custard in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (but preferably overnight) before serving.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Just before serving, remove ramekins from the fridge. Dollop a spoonful of whipped cream onto each custard. Top with chocolate shavings and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Cooked chocolate pots de crème keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 to 3 days.

Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Make the crust: In a food processor, blend together the graham cracker crumbs, almonds and sugar until the almonds are ground fine. Pour in the melted butter and caramel while processing, until mixture is combined. Press the mixture onto the bottom, and half way up the side of a 10 inch springform pan.

Make the filling: In a metal bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in the flour and the vanilla and blend in the melted white chocolate slowly, beating until the filling is well combined. Pour filling into crust.

Bake in the middle of preheated oven for 1 hour. Then turn off the heat, and crack the oven door an inch, letting the cheesecake cool in the oven to room temperature. Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight before removing from pan.

Make the topping: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water and blueberries. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Press through a fine sieve. Stir in lemon juice, allow to cool, and store in a glass jar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

Pour in the warm milk and the eggs, and mix on low speed until everything is incorporated and the dough comes together into a rough ball, about 5 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. This should take about 5 minutes, but keep kneading until the dough gathers around the dough hook.

Let the dough rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. This gives the gluten a chance to relax, making it easier to incorporate the butter.

Cambrea Gordon

Return the mixer to medium speed and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting until it’s fully incorporated before adding the next tablespoon. Take your time and allow the dough to absorb the butter. It should take 5 to 8 minutes to add all the butter

Cambrea Gordon

Continue kneading the dough on medium speed until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. The sides of the bowl should be clean, and the dough may make a slapping sound against the bowl as it mixes; these are good signs that the dough is ready for the first rise.

Scrape the dough out onto a clean surface and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the bowl with butter. Transfer the dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

Once the dough has risen at room temperature, the dough should be puffy and have risen noticeably, but it won’t have doubled. Transfer the covered bowl to the refrigerator, where the dough will continue to rise a bit and develop flavor. Chill overnight or up to 2 days.Same-day option: While an overnight rise is preferable for developing the best flavor, you can finish the babka the same day as long as you chill the dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour. The dough will need this time to continue rising, and to chill. Cold dough is easier to roll out and shape.

Cambrea Gordon

Cambrea Gordon

When you’re ready to bake the babka, make the chocolate filling. In a small saucepan set over low heat, add the chocolate, butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Stir constantly with a spatula until melted.

Use the lowest heat setting possible to prevent the chocolate from burning. It’s okay if the sugar looks grainy; it will dissolve while baking. Set the filling aside for 20 minutes to cool and thicken slightly.

Cambrea Gordon

Lightly flour a clean work surface and scrape the chilled dough onto it. Use a sharp knife or a dough scraper to divide the dough in half. Work with one piece of dough at a time, reserving the other, covered, in the refrigerator.

Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a rectangle, about 10 inches by 15 inches with the short edge nearest you.

If the dough is cold, it shouldn’t stick much. While rolling pause to move the dough regularly, lifting it off the work surface and adding a little extra flour if it starts to stick.

Pour half of the chocolate filling onto the dough and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the top of the rectangle furthest from you.

Roll the dough into a snug spiral, starting with the short end closest to you. Wrap the rolled dough with plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll and fill the second dough following the same method. Transfer the second dough to the freezer while you prepare the pans.

Grease two loaf pans generously with butter. Line the pans with a piece of parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on the long sides.

Don’t worry about the short sides, the parchment helps you easily lift out the loaves later. You can use either 9x5-inch or 8x4-inch loaf pans.

Cambrea Gordon

Remove one dough log from the freezer and slice it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife or dough scraper.

Pinch the ends together and twist the halves over each other a few times, twisting them together into a helix. The cut-side of the dough with the chocolate layers will be exposed.

Gently transfer the babka into one of the prepared pans and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.

Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Cambrea Gordon

Let the dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The dough should be puffy and will have risen to roughly 1/2-inch below the rim of the pan.

When the loaves are almost ready to bake, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap and bake the loaves for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. A toothpick inserted into the loaf should come out without any doughy bits sticking to it. Or you can check with an instant thermometer, which should read 190°F.

While the babkas are baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar and water to a simmer. Cook until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and set it aside.

As soon as the babkas are done baking, use a sharp knife or a skewer to pierce the tops of the babkas in several places.

Use a pastry brush to brush them generously with the syrup. It may seem like a lot, but use all of the syrup, dividing it equally between the two loaves. It keeps the bread moist and adds an attractive shine to the top.

Let the babkas rest in their pans for 10 minutes to cool slightly and absorb the syrup. Don’t leave them in the pans for longer than 10 minutes, or they may stick.

Use the parchment paper to lift out the loaves and set them on a wire rack to finish cooling. Allow the babkas to cool completely before slicing and serving. It’s difficult to wait, but the structure of the bread won’t set until it’s close to room temperature.