I have never been a fan of drinking coffee but strangely I love it in cakes. i was going to make my normal coffee and walnut cake and then i thought i would do something a bit different and I decided to make a yeasted coffee cake but it soon evolved into this babka loaf. i filled it with coffee and chocolate filling. I mixed a freshly made Americano with some dark chocolate, brown sugar and cinnamon and cocoa powder and stirred it over a medium head on the hob until the chocolate melted and let it cool over night in the fridge so I could spread it on to the dough. I love making loafs that look pretty when you slice into it, this zebra print loaf was yummy, and I used the left overs to make a bread and butter pudding. the weather is getting so cold its starting to feel really wintery so I love baking everyday to warm the house up.

to make it

• 3 cups plain flour
• 150ml milk warmed (to the tough not scolding)
• 1 sachet of fast action yeast
• 40g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp salt

to make the dough at the flour, sugar salt and yeast In a bowl and add the warmed milk and eggs and mix if add the butter in small chunks. you need more flour or liquid add it now (because of egg sizes being so different or flour brands being more absorbent its easier for me to say add more liquid or flour) , you are aiming for a wet but manageable dough. knead for 5 minutes then place in an oiled bowl in a warm, draft free place for 1 to 2 hours until I has doubled in size

filling

• 100ml Americano coffee I used capsules from gourmesso.co.uk
• 100g dark chocolate
• 2 heaped tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

in a pan add the coffee, chocolate, sugar, and cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix until the chocolate has melted then leave to cool in the fridge

for crumble topping

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 butter cold and cut into small chunks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 up chopped nuts I used hazelnuts pecans and chestnuts

rub the flour and butter together then add the sugar and chopped nuts

roll out the dough into a large rectangle and spread on the filling then roll up into a log and cut down the middle so you have two ropes, twist together and arrange into a circle in a lined cake tin.

preheat oven to 180c

leave to rise for 1 hour then add the crumble. bake for 35 minutes or until hollow when the base is tapped

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