Chocolate babka knot with peanut swirl

Serves 8-10 Desserts and puddings

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Method

To make the chocolate peanut filling, melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Add the cocoa powder, dark chocolate and peanut butter and whisk until completely incorporated. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Cover with clingfilm, so it touches the surface and set aside to cool at room temperature until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency.

Warm the milk and the 1tsp caster sugar in the microwave or a pan until it reaches body temperature – it is important that the milk is not too hot or it will kill the yeast. Add the yeast and whisk to combine, then set aside at room temperature for 5–10 minutes until it begins to froth.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine 30g of the caster sugar (reserving 65g for the syrup), flour, eggs, vanilla bean paste and a pinch of salt.

Add the melted and cooled butter followed by the milk and yeast mixture. Mix on a low speed for 3 minutes until the dough comes together, then increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to mix for 8–10 minutes until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl and looks shiny.

Transfer the dough to the work surface, fold the edges into the centre and flip the dough over so the seams are underneath. Roll the dough to create a smooth ball and transfer into a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to sit at room temperature for 1 hour 30 minutes-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch down the dough, then divide it into two equal portions and transfer them to separate, lightly greased bowls. Cover each with clingfilm and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes.

Line a 23cm round springform tin with baking paper and grease the side.

Lightly oil the work surface and roll each portion of dough into an approx. 28cm square. Leaving a 3mm border, spread the prepared chocolate peanut filling evenly over the two squares of dough.

Roll each dough square into a log. With your hands, roll the logs while slowly stretching them until they are approx. 40cm long and cut each log in half lengthways. If the dough becomes soft during the rolling process, return it to the fridge to firm up.

Intertwine the four strips of dough into a basket-weave formation, ensuring the cut sides are facing up, working your way around the formation to braid the babka.

Fold the ends of the strips underneath and transfer the braided dough to the prepared tin. Cover the tin with clingfilm and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. Remove the clingfilm from the tin bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes. If the babka colours a little too quickly at the start, turn the oven down by 10–15C or cover the top with foil.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Boil 50ml water with the reserved 65g sugar in a pan over a medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Remove the baked babka from the tin, brush the top with the syrup and serve warm.

The babka should be stored at room temperature and is best eaten within 4 days.