This Vegan Chocolate Babka is rich and decadent. They are approved by all eaters, vegan or not. If you are a fan of bread and chocolate this is for you.

For a long time, I have not made bread or a lot of pastry treats not because I do not like it, but because of my impatience and wanting to get things done quickly. However, these past weeks as many of us must stay inside to protect ourselves, I began to look inward again, asking myself questions like why am I in such a rush to finish everything, what does food mean to you, what does cooking/baking mean to you…? I brought myself back to my “why” again.

Ever since I can walk, I have always followed my mom into our kitchen whenever she cooks. I would stand there with a stool when I was not tall enough yet and watch her cook. My mom had learned all her cooking from my grandmother, the only daughter on my grandmother’s side who truly enjoyed cooking and cooks the flavors of my grandmother’s home. I love learning about where dishes come from and especially how different ingredients are used in every culture. I love the feel of fresh ingredients on my hands and the process of washing them and preparing them to cook.

Food not only fulfills us but it brings us back to our why and background even for those who do not know how to cook. The feeling of flours on our hands, of kneading dough, and waiting for the ingredients to come together and rise…cannot be described by words. They are moments we have to ourselves, moments of experiences different each time we are cooking and baking.

These are feelings that were brought back to me as I challenged myself to rethink my love for food and the process of preparing them. I enjoyed every moment of kneading the dough and waiting for it to rise, fascinated by how putting some simple ingredients together can yield an amazing baked good.

If you are ready to enter the kitchen with me and prepare this Vegan Chocolate Babka, here are the ingredients you will need:
-gluten-free flour (or sub with all-purpose flour if not gluten intolerant)
-plant-based milk of choice
-vegan condensed milk
-active yeast
-organic coconut sugar
-vegan chocolate
-unrefined coconut oil

Let’s start baking this Vegan Chocolate Babka!