If you like sourdough, you will love this beautiful, delicious Sourdough Babka Bread, with either cinnamon and apples or chocolate.
Something Bold and Beautiful
Sometimes you want to make a statement. This Sourdough Babka Bread does just that!
Babka bread has Eastern European roots and became popular in the United States in the Jewish communities in New York. It is typically made with an egg enriched dough, which is what we use today.
The sourdough makes it more digestible and as always, I add some whole grains to up the nutrition.
It looks complicated and challenging but if you have made cinnamon rolls before this bread is only one step beyond that and it is a simple step.
Other Variations?
In addition, the flavor options are endless. Typically, I have made sweet type breads but with a few tweaks this could also be a beautiful savory bread – imagine jalapeno cheddar or parmesan pepperoni.
Today I will give you two different ways to make this bread – an apple, cinnamon version and a chocolate version. But really you can do so many different flavor combinations – white chocolate chip and craisins, pumpkin pecan, nutella chocolate, or strawberry cream. Yum!
Sourdough Babka Bread
Makes 2 loaves of Babka Bread
Dough:
1 medium potato, peeled, boiled and mashed
OR you can substitute
¾ cup potato flakes (make sure the only ingredient is potatoes)
and
1 ¼ cup boiling water
continue…
¾ cup canned coconut milk
½ cup butter (for dairy free, I use Miyoko’s)
½ cup coconut sugar (can use honey)(If you want a savory bread, leave this out)
3 eggs (can use aquafaba or flax eggs)
½ cup active bubbly sourdough starter (If you have no starter, use 2 teaspoons yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole grain flour
2-3 cups all-purpose flour
Toppings:
Apple Cinnamon Version
4 tablespoons butter (for dairy free, can use Miyoko’s)
1 apple – diced small (I use this chopper with the smallest blade)
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or other granulated sugar) and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed together
Chocolate Version
4 tablespoons melted butter (for dairy free, can use Miyoko’s)
1/2 cup chocolate chips and chopped chocolate – I use semi sweet mini chocolate chips as well as chopped milk chocolate bar (lots of dairy free chocolate chips available now)
Directions for dough
In the bowl of mixer fitted with the dough hook, I use a Bosch, add the mashed potato or potato flakes and boiling water. If using the potato flakes, run the mixer to mix together the flakes and water. Cut your butter into 1 tablespoon chunks and add them to the potato. The heat from your potato should melt the butter. If your potato is not warm, melt the butter before adding it.
Once the butter is melted, add the milk, coconut sugar, eggs, starter, salt and whole grain flour. Run the mixer for one minute until everything is well incorporated. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and run the mixer again. Add more flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Let it knead for 4-6 minutes. This dough is soft and smooth. You should be able to press your finger into the dough without much dough sticking to your finger. If you can’t do that, add a little more flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.
Once the dough has been kneaded, place it in a large container where there is room for it to double. Cover. Let it sit for 6-10 hours until the dough has doubled. It may vary depending on the warmth of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.
Directions for Filling and Forming
Once the dough has doubled, put a small amount of oil on your counter and spread it out. Divide the dough in half. Dump the dough onto the oil. It is helpful but not necessary to form the dough into a rectangle before you start rolling it out. Roll the dough into a large rectangle or press it into a large rectangle with your hands, no less than 1/4 of an inch thick.
Spread melted butter over the dough and sprinkle on desired toppings. Press toppings lightly into the dough. Roll the dough on the longer side into a log shape. Press the end of the dough into itself. Carefully, cut the dough log straight down the center – I found a serrated knife works best. Now you will twist the dough over itself – see pictures below.
Once the dough is all twisted, scrunch it up and place it in a loaf pan fitted with a piece of parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap. Let double, 2 hours or so. Once doubled, bake at 350 degrees. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees – about 30 minutes. Let the bread cool 5 minutes and then top with a glaze (1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons water) or a simple sugar syrup (1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup granulated sugar boiled until dissolved). The sugar syrup will make the bread shiny.
