Babka. My newest obsession. This bread is so versatile and is such a treat. It looks so fancy, but really is simple to make. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Time to make: About 4 hours total to make.
Ingredients:
Babka Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cups Sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbs instant yeast
- 1/3 cup warmish milk
- I stick unsalted butter at room temp
Filling
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1 tsp all spice
- 3/4 cup pumpkin Puree
- 2-3 tbs cocoa powder
Directions
1. For the babka dough — In a stand mixer with the dough attachment, mix together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Next beat in eggs, then butter, and when mixed add the milk. Knead in your stand mixer 5-7 minutes until the dough no longer clings to the mixer attachment and your dough is smooth.
2. Place your dough in a bowl with some oil on the bottom. Mix the dough around until the oil has covered the surface of the dough so it will not stick to the bowl as it rises. Cover loosely with cling wrap and place in a draft-free area to rise for about 2 hours and it has doubled in size.
3. For the Filling — Mix all of your ingredients together and set aside.
4. Get a muffin or cupcake tin and grease 8 of the muffin slots with butter.
5. After 2 hours, set up a floured surface to set the dough onto, no need to knead the dough. Form the dough into a log and cut into 8 even pieces.
6. One by one, roll the log into a largish rectangle. Spread the filling in the center of the rectangle. Bring long sides together to meet in the middle and fold up the short ends about an inch. Now, twist the dough like a churro and tie into a knot, with the ends tucked into itself. This might take a couple to make before you get your own technique down. Depending on the size of your dough you might get more than 8. I do sometimes..we are human not machines!
7. With all babka knots made, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let the babka rise one more time for 1 hour.
8. At the 1 hour mark, preheat your oven at 375 F and bake for 15 minutes.
9. Boom. You just made babka. I will say I enjoy babka after they have sat out for a few hours after baking and all the flavors have become something special.
Cheers!