This is an easy babka recipe that makes two loaves. It showcases fruit because it is filled with fruit preserves, but the recipe also calls for chocolate so I'd classify it as a chocolate babka. And sure, you can make it without the fruit preserves, but they work really well with this dough.
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Two Loaf Babka Recipe
This recipe makes two 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaves, so you can give one as a gift and save one for yourself. Having two loaves also allows you to vary the flavors, so if you don't want to put fruit preserves in one you can do an all chocolate filling or perhaps Bubbe's Famous Butterfinger Babka. I guess I can't call it that since I'm not a bubbe and it's not famous, but it was a fun experiment.
Babka Dough
To make babka, you start out with a butter & egg rich dough similar to a brioche. The dough is easy to make with a stand mixer and so manageable that a rolling pin is optional. I usually just pat it out on a pastry mat. Here's a picture of the dough.
And here it is patted out to about 15 x 11 inches.
Shaping Babka Dough
To shape babka, you roll the dough into a rectangle, spread the filling evenly over the surface, then roll it up into a jelly roll type log. You then split the log lengthwise to expose the layers of filling and dough. To keep the filling from running all over, I usually freeze the log briefly before splitting. The last step is twisting the split halves together.
If you'd rather not split the dough, you can skip the traditional shaping and just twist the logs. The loaf on the left was made by cutting a log in half crosswise and just twisting the two halves. The loaf on the right was made by cutting the log in half crosswise, splitting lengthwise to make four pieces, then twisting those pieces. Both are filled with fig preserves.
Choosing Different Preserves and Chocolate
Fig preserves were the obvious choice back during fig season, and fig goes surprisingly well with chocolate. Or so I though at the time. Chocolate and raspberry is pretty darn good as well. For the chocolate, you have some options. Mini chips are convenient, but I typically mix whatever dark chips we have plus some chopped chocolate. Or yes, Butterfinger. I still haven't cut the Butterfinger loaf for those curious.
Ingredient Notes
- Bread flour makes the dough a little easier to work with. When I use bread flour, I go by the weight of 140 grams per cup. I start with 4 cups (560 grams) and add the last half cup (70 grams) gradually. For all-purpose flour, start with 560 grams which may be 4 ½ cups since all-purpose sometimes weighs less per cup. You would then add another 70 grams, which would be a little over a half cup.
- Sugar - The sugar is necessary and the loaves aren't overly sweet.
- Yeast -- This recipe is perfect for using SAF gold label yeast, a yeast specifically designed for high sugar doughs. Other brands of instant yeast will also work, but I really like the SAF.
- Lemon or Orange Zest -- both optional but add flavor.
- Whole Milk -- I use whole milk for baking, but there's no reason why 2% wouldn't work since there's already so much butter in the dough.
- Eggs -- Be sure to use large eggs rather than extra-large or medium.
- Unsalted Butter -- Any brand should work. Salted might be fine as well, but I haven't tested it yet.
- Oil -- Using a combination of butter and oil improves the texture in my opinion (and saves butter).
- Preserves -- Any flavor, but preferably seedless. The preserves get mixed with more butter which helps keep them from sinking into the dough.
Here's the recipe, and I hope you give it a try.
Recipe
Babka
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread plus about ½ cup or as needed (560 grams), plus (70 grams) more as needed
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (SAF)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ teaspoon orange or lemon zest
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 130 degrees (230 grams)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened plus extra for greasing pans (84 grams)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or any neutral oil (33 grams)
Preserves Filling and Chocolate
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 grams)
- 1 ½ cups preserves, raspberry, fig, apricot or your favorite!
- 1 cup miniature or regular size semisweet chips or chopped chocolate
Crumb Topping (Optional)
- ¼ cup flour
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons salted butter, softened
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Place 4 cups (560 grams) of flour, sugar, yeast, salt and zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the warm milk and stir until moistened. You can use the paddle for this or just do it by hand. Most of the work will be done with the dough hook. Add the eggs and stir until blended.
- Switch to the dough hook and begin kneading. With the mixer going, add the oil, then add the butter. Let the machine knead until the butter is incorporated. At this point you should have a very soft, buttery dough which will most likely need at least ½ cup more flour. Continue kneading with the dough hook.
- Add remaining 70 grams flour gradually. The dough will clear the side of the bowl with each addition of flour, then begin to stick again. Continue kneading for about 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and has some elasticity to it. It will never completely clear the side of the bowl.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled -- about an hour. Prepare loaf pans, filling and crumb topping while the dough rises.
- Prepare the loaf pans by greasing with a generous amount of butter, lining with strips of parchment and greasing again. The pans need a lot of grease because preserves are sticky!
Filling and Crumb Topping
- Melt the butter in a saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the preserves. Set aside to cool
- I don't always use crumb topping but it's a nice addition. To make it, just mix together powdered sugar and flour and mash in salted softened butter until crumbly. Keep chilled until ready to use.
Assembly
- On a pastry mat, you probably won't even need flour because of all the butter, pat half of the dough into a 10x15 inch rectangle.
- Spread half of the preserves mixture over the rectangle, leaving about a ½ inch border. Sprinkle chocolate over the preserves. Brush the border with some egg wash.
- Starting on the long side, roll the dough into a jelly roll and pinch the ends closed. Cut the log in half and set the halves on a baking sheet or tray that can fit in the refrigerator. Repeat with remaining dough, setting cut logs on the same baking sheet.
- Refrigerate or freeze the logs of dough for about 30 minutes. This makes them easier to slice.
- When both logs are very firm, take two out of the refrigerator. Twist them together and press into the pan. Alternatively, you can split the logs lengthwise to make 4 pieces. Twist 2 of the pieces and lay them in the pan, then twist the other two and lay them in the pan, pinching ends to make a loaf. Remove the other two logs from the refrigerator and repeat.
- Cover with a well greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.Dough should rise a bit, but will not completely double.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When ready to bake, brush the loaves with egg wash. Sprinkle the crumble over the top along with a little extra chocolate and/or some almonds or nuts if you have some.
- Bake loaves for about 55 minutes or until brown and baked through.
- Allow the loaves to cool for about a half hour in the pan, then carefully loosen with a knife and remove.
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