Ingredients
Units
For the challah:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose white flour, plus more for rolling out
- 1 cup lukewarm water (around 105°F)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 egg, whisked, for egg wash
For the chocolate filling:
- 4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsop ground ginger
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ¼ cup sugar
For the crumble:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened but cool
Instructions
- Make the challah dough: in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the water; set aside for 5 minutes until a bit foamy.
- Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, with the salt. Gradually add flour.
- When dough holds together, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size.
- Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another hour.
- While the dough rises, make the filling: melt the chocolate with the oil in a pot over low heat on the stovetop. Add the sugar, salt, and spices and to the pot and stir to combine. Refrigerate to cool until needed.
- On a floured surface using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to an 18- by 10-inch rectangle, with the long side nearest you. Brush the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Sprinkle the cocoa over the greased dough. Top with the sugar and mix with your hands to combine.
- Top with the melted, spiced chocolate mixture and use a spatula to swirl it out over the dough.
- Starting with long side farthest from you, roll dough into a snug log, pinching firmly along the seam to seal. Coil the log to form a round challah and place in a pan to rise, around 40 minutes.
- Make the crumble: combine all of the ingredients except for the butter in a medium bowl and give a quick stir to combine, making sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar.
- Add the butter and use your fingertips to mix everything together until crumbs form. Set aside until needed. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Brush the top of the challah with egg wash. Sprinkle with crumble.
- Bake until the top is a deep golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. Transfer challah to a rack and cool to room temperature. Serve.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Ashkenazi