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How to Make Babka I - A Step-by-Step Guide

Babka is a traditional Eastern European sweet bread that is commonly filled with flavors like chocolate, cinnamon, or fruit. It is a popular treat for holidays and special occasions, and its rich, dense texture and sweet filling make it a favorite among those with a sweet tooth. Making babka from scratch may seem intimidating, but the end result is well worth the effort.

This recipe for Babka I is a classic version of the beloved dessert, featuring a rich dough that is twisted and swi...

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 (0.6 ounce) cake cake yeast
  • ½ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 4 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (Optional)
  • 3 tablespoons grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 10 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
  • 1 ½ cups dried currants
  • 1 ½ cups raisins
  • 1 ½ cups golden raisins
  • 1 cup chopped slivered almonds
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon water

Information

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Additional Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
  • Total Time: 4 hrs 55 mins
  • Servings: 24
  • Yield: 3 loaves

  • In a small saucepan, heat milk until just below boiling. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat, and let cool until lukewarm.
  • Place cake yeast in a small bowl; pour 1/2 cup lukewarm water over the yeast. Stir with a spoon to break up the yeast slightly; set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs and egg yolks with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup sugar and salt, and continue to beat until mixture is thick and pale. Stir in vanilla, orange liqueur, zests, and yeast mixture. Beat in 2 cups flour on low speed; when incorporated, add 2 more cups of flour and mix until combined. Add cooled milk mixture alternately with an additional 4 cups flour, beating on medium-low speed.
  • If the dough is very sticky, add up to 1 cup of flour. Mix in currants, raisins, golden raisins, and almonds.
  • Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface and knead about 8 to 10 minutes, adding reserved flour if needed. Shape dough into a ball. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with greased plastic wrap.
  • Place in a warm place and allow it to rise until dough has doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down, re-cover the bowl, and allow to rise again for an additional 1 1/2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter 3 tube pans.
  • In a small bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter to form crumb topping. Sprinkle evenly among the 3 pans.
  • Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Cut dough into thirds. Flatten each piece of dough into a rectangle and roll it up into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Lay each log seam-side up in the prepared pans, pinching ends together to form rings. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
  • Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Before baking, gently brush egg wash over each loaf.
  • Bake babkas in preheated oven until until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped, about 30 to 45 minutes. Immediately turn out onto a cooling rack so bread does not stick to the pan. Cool completely before slicing.

    • Nutrition

    490 cal.

    • Total Fat: 15g
    • Saturated Fat: 7g
    • Cholesterol: 99mg
    • Sodium: 142mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 81g
    • Dietary Fiber: 4g
    • Total Sugars: 31g
    • Protein: 11g
    • Vitamin C: 2mg
    • Calcium: 79mg
    • Iron: 4mg
    • Potassium: 364mg

    Categories

    Sweet recipes
    Bread recipes
    Dessert recipes
    Baking recipes
    Jewish recipes