Nutella Babka

     I've been wanting to make this Nutella Babka for so long, and I finally had the chance last weekend. I thought the opportunity was perfect, then I realized one of our guests is allergic to tree nuts and couldn't eat it! OOPS! Luckily, we had lots of other snacks and a promise to make another babka that she could enjoy using this stuff. I've never had that peanut butter before, but I'm pretty sure that it can't be bad.
     This might have been my very favorite babka to date! J says I should make his favorite (Apple Cinnamon) and the nutella babka at the same time so he could compare and see which one he likes better.

Here are some other babka recipes I've made: Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate Cinnamon, and Caramel Apple. Stayed tuned for more.

start 4 hours ahead!
Dough
4 oz warm milk
1-1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 c sugar
1 egg, plus 1 yolk
2-1/4 c flour (I part whole wheat)
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tbl butter, cut into pieces, room temp
Filling
a generous smear of Nutella
Streusal Topping
1/4 c butter
1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cocoa

• Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and yeast mixture until combined. 
• In bowl of stand mixer, combine flour and salt. Add egg mixture and beat until flour is incorporated. 
• Add butter and knead 10 minutes until a smooth dough forms.
• Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour 

• Butter a 9x5 loaf pan. Add parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper.
• Punch down the dough and let rest 5 minutes. 
• Roll dough into a 16inch square. Brush edges of the dough with egg wash.
• Spread Nutella over dough leaving about a half inch around edges. 
• Roll dough up, pinching sides to seal as you go. 
• Twist  the rolled dough 5-6 times to make it longer, then fold into a horseshoe shape.
• Cross the ends to form a figure eight and twist a couple more times. Fit the twisted dough into the prepared pan. 
• Let rise 45 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 350*
• To make streusel, combine butter, flour, brown sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. Using fork (or pastry cutter), cut into butter until mixture is about the texture of coarse bread crumbs. 
• Sprinkle on top of loaf. 
• Bake 50 minutes, rotating pan after 25 minutes.
• Turn temperature down to 325* and bake 20-30 more minutes, until golden and knife comes out clean.
• Don't underbake. Cool on wire rack.

Linked to a lot of other sweets!
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Sweet Tooth Friday by Alli N' Son
and
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Sweets for Saturday by Sweet As Sugar Cookies