No Knead Chocolate Babka

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• For the filling:
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir the milk and yeast together with a whisk. Add the egg yolks, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, and whisk again until smooth. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and cardamom. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir until everything is fully combined. Cover the bowl loosely with a towel or plastic wrap, then leave it at room temperature until the dough has doubled and the top is dotted with big bubbles, 2 to 3 hours. Move it to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 375 degrees F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the chocolate, cocoa, and cinnamon.
3. Dust your work surface generously with flour, then roll the babka dough into a 12 by 16-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter across the dough in an even layer. Scatter the chocolate mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
4. From the long side, roll the dough gently into a log. Press the seam closed to seal it. Transfer the log to the prepared pan with the seam facing down, letting the ends overlap slightly. Brush the top with the beaten egg and leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
5. Bake until the babka is golden brown and set, and the middle reads 195 degrees F to 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Let it cool in the pan for 45 minutes. Carefully slide a knife around the inner edges to release it, then take the babka out of the pan. Let it finish cooling on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Serve.