Bicolor brioche: soft and fragrant!

This Bicolor Brioche is our take on a chocolate brioche. Traditionally, babka is made with brioche dough (an enriched type of bread dough) and a wide variety of fillings—think fruits, icing, cinnamon, and more! This recipe features two doughs, one plain and one chocolate, that are twisted together to create a beautiful marbled effect. The hazelnut cream filling adds a nutty sweetness that perfectly complements the enriched dough flavor. Whether served for breakfast or as a dessert, this chocolate brioche babka is sure to impress and satisfy any sweet tooth. We went the easy route by using hazelnut cream as a filling, but feel free to use other fillings (see our tips below).

What is Bicolor Brioche

This bicolor brioche is a sweet braided bread inspired by the Jewish Babka.

Traditionally, it’s filled with chocolate, but you can create an endless list of variations.

Bicolor Brioche variations

Babka is always made with rich brioche dough, but you can play around with many different variations of fillings. Here are a few ideas:

• Cinnamon bicolor brioche – sprinkle the dough with cinnamon sugar before rolling and baking.
• Apple bicolor brioche – don’t add cocoa to the dough, and sprinkle with finely chopped apple and a sprinkling of cinnamon before rolling the dough.
• Blueberry bicolor brioche – spread the dough with blueberry preserve before rolling and baking.
• Lemon poppy seed bicolor brioche – add 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds to the wet ingredients, then spread the dough with lemon curd.

You can also use other spreads like chocolate spread, Biscoff spreads, apple butter, sweetened, cream cheese

Tips

Don’t have hazelnut cream? Make your own chocolate filling by melting 1 cup chopped dark chocolate, ½ cup cream, 3.5 oz butter, and 3.5 oz powdered sugar.

If you want to make the Bicolor Brioche in advance, you can let it rise in the fridge overnight and then prepare it the next day.

For added sweetness, drizzle the bread with an icing glaze before cutting.

How to Store Bicolor Brioche

Store the brioche in an airtight container (at room temperature) for up to 3 days.

Can You Freeze Bicolor Brioche

Yes, you can! Wrap the brioche tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Instructions

In a bowl mix together warm milk with sugar and yeast.

Add in the butter and egg, then add in flour and salt.

Divide the dough into two pieces. Place one of the halves in a separate bowl.

Knead cocoa powder into one of the halves. Cover the dough and allow it to rise for two hours.

Roll out each dough and top the white one with the dark one.

Use a pizza cutter to cut strips in one half of the dough.

Spread the other half with hazelnut cream.

Twist each of the strips.

Roll the dough into a log, starting from the hazelnut cream side.

Transfer to the baking pan. Let it rest for 30 minutes more.

Bruch the brioche with egg.

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!