Babka

  What’s babka? Babka is a dense, sweet bread that is traditionally filled with a sweet mixture, then rolled, twisted and baked in a loaf pan. It translates to “little grandmother” Ukranian, Russian, and Eastern European Yiddish, and has always been popular where those languages are spoken. Traditional Jewish-style babka is baked in loaf pans and is characterised by the many twists and layers. A traditional sweet Jewish bread, babka is worth getting to know as a dessert or savoury option.

• Add 60ml warm whole milk to a bowl, then sprinkle over 7g of active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar. Leave to sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
• Mix 265g plain flour, 2 large eggs and the yeast mixture in a large bowl for two minutes until it comes together as a dough.
• Beat in 70g room-temperature butter until combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
• Form the dough into a ball. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm space for 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size.
• Knock back the dough with your hand, then cover again and refrigerate overnight.