Nutella Babka
Picture this - a heavenly aroma fills the air, swirling with the irresistible scent of chocolate and hazelnut. A delightful twist of flavours and textures, this rich, swirled bread promises a delectable experience that captivates the senses and satisfies even the most discerning sweet tooth.
Babka holds a rich history deeply rooted in Eastern European culinary traditions. Its name, which means "grandmother" in Polish and Ukrainian, reflects its homemade, comforting nature.
Babka's origins can be linked to festive and celebratory occasions within Jewish communities. Initially, it was a cake-like bread made with basic ingredients like flour, yeast, eggs, and sugar. Traditional babkas were often flavoured with raisins, honey and sometimes spices, offering a sweet, fragrant treat enjoyed during religious holidays and family gatherings.
As Eastern European immigrants moved to different parts of the world, they brought along their cherished babka recipes.
Over time, these recipes evolved and adapted to incorporate local ingredients and preferences, leading to variations in flavours and fillings, gaining wider recognition and appreciation all around the world.
Combine yeast with 70 ml of lukewarm milk and leave it aside for 10 minutes.
Whisk together flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, then add in diced room temperature butter and an egg, and combine with your hands.
Add the yeast, rest of the warm milk and orange peel.
Knead into a dough, then finally cover it and place in a warm place to rise for an hour.
Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down again to release any more air bubbles if needed.
Roll it out into a rectangle and spread with Nutella, leaving the ends uncovered. Brush the ends with a bit of water and tightly roll it into a long log. Cut it lengthwise into two parts and make a criss-cross braid.
Place it in a bread mould or a smaller casserole dish, cover it again and leave for another hour in a warm place.
Uncover and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/356°F for 30 minutes.
Nutella Babka
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine yeast with 70 ml of lukewarm milk and leave it aside for 10 minutes.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, then add in diced room temperature butter and an egg, and combine with your hands.
- Add the yeast, rest of the warm milk and orange peel.
- Knead into a dough, then finally cover it and place in a warm place to rise for an hour.
- Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down again to release any more air bubbles if needed.
- Roll it out into a rectangle and spread with Nutella, leaving the ends uncovered. Brush the ends with a bit of water and tightly roll it into a long log. Cut it lengthwise into two parts and make a criss-cross braid.
- Place it in a bread mould or a smaller casserole dish, cover it again and leave for another hour in a warm place.
- Uncover and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.
