Last week on the Great British Bake Off the technical challenge was a chocolate and hazelnut babka. I was so excited about this as it was also the same week which I had created this cinnamon and blueberry babka! I love watching the bakers make something which I have recently created- especially in the technical challenge.
Babka Backstory
Babka is an iconic Jewish sweet bread originating in 19th Century Eastern Europe. It later gained much popularity in Jewish bakeries when it was brought over to the United States.
The Flavours
The most popular filling is chocolate, but the flavour spectrum for this braided dessert ranges from sweet to even savoury. For this babka, I decided to meld together two flavour affinities – cinnamon and blueberry. The sweetness of the cinnamon and sugar perfectly balanced out the tartness of the blueberry yielding a sweet streusel and jam filling in each slice.
blueberry & cinnamon babka
Ingredients
- 150 ml non-dairy milk
- 21 grams yeast
- 40 grams sugar
- 290 grams flour
- 70 grams non-dairy milk
- 150 grams blueberry jam
- 100 grams brown sugar
- 40 grams cinnamon
Instructions
- Warm the non-dairy milk to 98,6°C-113°C (37°C-45°C). Stir in the yeast and 15 grams of sugar. Leave to activate until foamy on top, about 10 minutes.
- Combine the flour, remaining sugar and salt in a large bowl and add in the yeast mixture along with the butter in mixing bowl with dough hook attachment if using a mixer. Beat on low and then continue kneading for about 8-10 minutes on medium until a smooth and elastic dough forms.
- Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a wet towel on top and let rest in a warm place for one hour or until it’s double in size.
- Meanwhile, mix the cinnamon and brown sugar into a bowl until evenly incorporated.
- After the hour has elapsed, dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock back the air. Roll it out to an even 12-x16-inch (30x40cm) rectangle. Spread the jam over top, leaving an 1.5 cm border around all sides and repeat with sprinkling the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Roll up the dough tightly to form a 40 cm long log (so rolling with the long side first). Gently cut the log in half lengthways.
- With the cut sides facing up, lift one half over the other half to form a twist. Gently press together the ends.
- Carefully, transfer the bread into a loaf tin lined with parchment paper.
- Cover loosely with a towel (or foil) and leave to rest in a warm place for another 45 minutes to double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (455°F). Brush the loaf with a little bit of non-dairy milk, and bake for 40 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing.
