Ingredients:

Dough:

1 – 5 or 6 oz can evaporated milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoons salt

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature

4 1/2 cups sifted flour (Sift flour before measuring and then lightly spoon it into the measuring cup.)

2 pkgs. active dry yeast, or 5 teaspoons

1/2 cup warm water, about 110 degrees

Pinch of sugar

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips (smaller ones work better)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Reserve 1/4 cup milk. Add enough water to remaining milk to measure 1/2 cup; combine with sugar, salt, and egg yolks in a large bowl of an electric mixer and beat well. Add softened margarine and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth.

Combine warm water, pinch of sugar, and yeast in a small bowl; stir until dissolved. Let sit at room temperature until foamy, 5-10 minutes. Add this yeast mixture and 1 more cup of flour to mixture in large bowl; beat together at medium speed for 3 minutes. On low speed, gradually blend in remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour until thoroughly combined. Remove bowl from mixer and transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl twice the size of the dough. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.  (Alternatively, dough can rise overnight in the refrigerator. The next day remove bowl from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding with recipe.)

Heat reserved 1/4 cup of milk in a small saucepan just to a boil; remove from heat, add chocolate pieces and cinnamon; stirring until mixture is smooth. Set aside at room temperature to cool.

Lightly oil a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan and dust it lightly with flour.

Mix all crumb topping ingredients together with a fork until blended. Set aside.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured counter. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 10″ by 15″ rectangle. Spread dough with cooled chocolate mixture, leaving 1/2 -inch border on longest edge closest to you. Beginning on long end farthest away from you, roll up like a jellyroll. Pinch long seam together with your fingers. Place roll, seam side down, in prepared 10-inch tube pan and press the ends together to seal. If necessary, stretch to fit pan. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Cover pan with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove plastic wrap and bake babka for about 35-45 minutes, or until lightly browned and hollow sounding when tapped with your fingers.

Gently turn cake out of pan onto a plate and immediately back over onto a cooling rack, streusel side up, to cool.

Makes one large cake.