Chocolate Swirl Babka

Dough
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
3 cups Unbleached Bread Flour
1/3 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Filling
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon Instant ClearJel (optional; it keeps filling from overflowing during baking)

Topping
3 tablespoons melted butter
glazing or confectioners’ sugar, or non-melting white sugar

Place all of the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Check the dough's consistency about 7 minutes after the kneading cycle begins, adding additional water or flour to form a soft, smooth ball of dough.
While the dough is rising, combine all the filling ingredients in a small bowl, and then set them aside.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Brush it lightly with melted butter, and sprinkle the filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Starting at a short end, roll the dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch the ends closed, and tuck them under. Place the loaf, seam-side down, in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Spray the top of the loaf lightly with vegetable oil spray, and cover it with plastic wrap (or a proof cover). Let it rise for about 45 minutes; it won’t double in size, but should just barely crown over the rim of the pan.

Baking: Bake the loaf in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until its sides have pulled away slightly from the pan. Remove the loaf from the oven and, after about 5 minutes, remove it from the pan. Transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Brush loaf with melted butter and dust with confectioners’ sugar (or the sugar of your choice) just before serving.
Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices..

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