Chocolate Babka Bread Pudding

Babka is part of the rich, sweet Eastern European baking tradition that Jewish cooks brought to the United States in the early 20th century. It is made with layers of rich yeast dough, covered with chocolate or cinnamon sugar, then twisted and folded into a loaf. And as if babka itself were not irresistible enough, in this recipe it is combined with challah and a milk-egg-cream mixture and baked into a golden, rich dessert. Once the Ashkenazi Jews arrived in the United States, luxuries like strudel, rugelach and babka became more accessible: a chocolate or cinnamon babka was a Sunday-morning treat in many households. But making babka at home became too time-consuming, and now it is easy to order online. Breads Bakery in the Flatiron district of Manhattan makes (and ships) an extraordinary dark-chocolate version. —Julia Moskin