Nutella Swirl Bread

Nutella Swirl Bread - a Babka Cheat | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

This is a babka cheat, but no one will complain that it just took a few minutes to put this Nutella Swirl Bread together. I just used a piece of whole wheat brioche dough, slathered it with Nutella, rolled it up, tucked it into a loaf pan, let it rest and baked it. That’s it. Super Easy. Super Tasty. Super Fast. And Beautiful.

Check out the Swirly Crock Pot version as well. It is perfect for hot summer days or when your oven is occupied with other goodies.

Sliced Nutella Swirl Bread - a Babka Cheat | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

I went pretty light on the Nutella, so the bread would have a bit of chocolatey sweetness, but wouldn’t be over-the-top. You can use more and go with our brioche dough from New ABin5, for a more decadent treat.

Nutella Swirl Bread

1 1/2 pounds brioche dough. (You can use the dough from our Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day or even our Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day Books)

1/2 cup (or more) Nutella

Egg yolk wash (one yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water)

Bread Dough Slathered with Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Roll the dough out to an 1/8-inch-thick rectangle

Spread the Nutella over the dough.

Nutella Swirl Bread Dough Rolled Up | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Roll the dough into a log, starting along the longer side.

Nutella Swirl Bread - a Babka Cheat | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Fold the ends in. This will form the swirls in the bread.

Nutella Swirl Bread - a Babka Cheat | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Tuck the bread into a well greased (butter is my choice) Loaf Pan.

Bread in a Loaf Pan with Egg Wash on Top | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Let the dough rest for about 90 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Brush with the egg yolk wash and slash down the middle.

Nutella Swirl Bread - a Babka Cheat | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of dough you are using. You can test for doneness by tapping the top, if it feels firm in the center, then it is done. Let Nutella Swirl Bread rest in the pan for about 10 minutes and then turn out the bread to cool completely.

Slices of Nutella Swirl Bread - a Babka Cheat | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

If you slice it while it is still warm, it may feel under baked.

For those of you who are just joining us or anyone who wants a more in-depth look at our Five Minute Bread method, plus a step-by-step guide to shaping dozens of loaves, you may want to check out our Craftsy video class. We’re happy to offer all our readers 50% off the class, which means the 3 hour class is only $19.99. You can take the class at your own pace and we are there to answer any questions as you bake along.

35 thoughts to “Nutella Swirl Bread”

  1. Heyo!

    I can’t wait to try these other recipes, BUT… I’m having trouble getting the master recipe (from the new artisan version) to work perfectly. Help please!

    I weigh ingredients. Dough looks good, rises well. Second rise is… ok, I think (I don’t get it to double, that should give you a size idea). What I think is happening is that I’m not getting that ‘oven spring’. It will rise some once put in the oven, but not a lot. So the bread is nice and crusty, but inside it’s a little more dense that I think it should be. Oven temp seems ok (I even tried a higher temp the last try). I’m using a stone. I’m running out of ideas. Grrrr… *grumpy face*

    I tried a different yeast brand just in case, but no luck. Flour is just all purpose. No elevation issues to worry about here, either.

    Thank you! I greatly appreciate any and all input! And I LOVE the book! =)

    1. Hi Dawn,

      How long are you letting the dough rise once the loaf is shaped, before baking?

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. I’ve done a little investigative work, and I think part of the issue is the oven. It will reach 450 when there’s nothing in it. Add a pan though, and things go awry. I’m going to do some experimenting and see what happens. Thanks for your input! Oh, and I don’t have a dutch oven unfortunately! =(

      2. Hi Dawn,

        Do you have a baking stone? This will be very helpful in maintaining an even temperature in your oven. The stone absorbs, retains and radiates heat, so even if your oven fluctuates when the door opens, the stone stays hot. You can find a range of stones that work well from unglazed garden tiles to plates of steel.

        Thanks, Zoë

  2. It seems you are not letting the dough rise enough before baking. I let my first rise go for several hours. If I am making no knead bread I proof for 8 to 14 hours in a warm area.
    The second rise may take 3 to 4 hours for you. Patience is critical to good bread.
    Also make sure you are not killing your yeast with adding water that is too hot.

    1. Hi. The method you propose works quite nicely if you are using the low yeast (or sourdough) version of our recipes. If you are using the full amount of yeast from the recipes, these times will be far too long and end up over proofing the dough.

      Thanks! Zoë

  3. I have both your cookbooks – Artisan Bread in Five Mins a Day & Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Have tried quite a few recipes with success. Love your recipes! I have been looking for Soy & Linseed bread recipe but unable to find it in both cookbooks. Wondering if you have the recipe and able to share?

    1. Hi Winnie,

      We use some soy in our gluten-free recipes, but we found that it is a common allergy, so we didn’t put it in many of them. You can always use a 1/2 cup of soy flour in your recipes, even wheat recipes, without changing much else in the recipe. Soy has a bunch of protein so it is a good nutritional boost for those who can eat it. Linseed is the same as Flax, so you will find several recipes for it in our Healthy bread book, or you can add a 1/4 cup to any recipe.

      Thanks! Zoë

      1. Hi Zoe,

        I finally get the chance to try the recipe you suggested on the weekend. I am relatively happy with the result, but wondering how I could improve the texture to be slightly more chewy like sourdough bread. Is there anyway I can attach some photos to show you what I mean?

        Winnie

  4. Have enjoyed The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day so very much! It is the only way I have time to make bread, and your recipe is great. I make a new batch twice a week, and it is fantastic.
    I have family members who want a soft, buttermilk bread. I just don’t have time to do a conventional recipe…is there any way I could convert one of your recipes for them? i would use a bread pan, and have read in your book that is possible. Thank you for your help!

    1. Hi Mary Pat,

      So glad you are enjoying the recipes. Did you already try the buttermilk bread from that book? If so, what were the characteristics you were looking for instead and maybe I can help find a different recipe?

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. My deepest apologies! I didn’t even look for a buttermilk bread recipe…so sorry, and of course it will be great….so so sorry….
        Next time I promise to look before I leap….

    1. A variety will work. 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 is our standard for this, and it results in a nice high loaf. If you use the pan in the Amazon link, it’ll be flatter.

    1. Fantastic Renee, look forward to seeing you there. For the non-video inclined, there are always our books (click on book images above). 🙂

  5. So I just want to make one loaf and the recipe in the new AB in 5 says it makes at least three 1.5 pound loaves. Can I 1/3 the recipe in the book? If so, how many eggs should I use as it calls for 8 eggs.

    1. You can proportionalize our recipes, yes. But… for recipes with eggs, it’s not a perfect fit. If you use 2 eggs you have not quite enough egg; if you use 3 eggs it’s a bit too much. Could use small-ish eggs and go with 3, then might have to decrease the other liquids a bit. Very little though.

      No promises though… Safer to divide it in half so you could just use 4 eggs.

    1. Hi Vicki,

      You certainly don’t have to, but the loaf may open up as it pleases while baking.

      Thanks, Zoë

  6. Hi!
    I made this bread over the weekend, sooo good! My problem was that the swirl wasn’t as tight, there were lots of gaps in between the layers. Can you tell me what I did wrong? It was still amazing, but would like to get the swirl right. Thanks!

    1. Hi Romi,

      Which dough did you make the bread with? It may be that you just need to roll the dough a bit tighter and let the loaf rest a touch longer before baking.

      Cheers, Zoë

      1. Thanks for getting back to me! I used the brioche dough – I’m also wondering if if I rolled it out too thin, would that have any affect? I’ll try your suggestions this weekend. Thank you! Romi

      2. Hi Romi,

        Yes, rolling it super thin can also have an effect. Brioche dough will rise more than the whole grain dough in the photo, so some space between the layers may happen.

        Thanks, Zoë

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