Chocolate babka is one of the culinary wonders of the Eastern European Jewish tradition. It’s a rich, eggy, buttery loaf with generous swirls of chocolate, and once you’ve had it, it’s the kind of bread that instills lifelong cravings.

Makes: 1 loaf
Time: About 3 1/2 hours, largely unattended

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups all purpose or bread flour, plus more as n…