Sourdough Cinnamon Spiced Babka : it’s divine!
I am not going to lie, the hardest part about making Sourdough Cinnamon Spiced Babka is all the waiting. None of the steps are really all that tricky (well okay maybe the twisting/braiding, watch the video to giggle with me as I wrestle with the dough!) Truly the hardest part of making this recipe is that it’s multiple steps, but the bread does all of the work, you’re just there waiting in between. Well I like to garden or do something fun while the bread does the work. It is WORTH the wait. It is decadent but not too sweet, soft with a crunchy glazed crust, it tastes just as amazing the following day so no stress to try and make this to have for breakfast - unless of course you’re baking it the day before. We just finished this loaf and washed the pan and I’m already dreaming about making another one for next weekend!
Some tips :
make the dough ahead of time and let it rest in the fridge until you have a day that you’ll be home when you can pop in and out of the kitchen to take care of the next steps.
I’ve kept the dough in the fridge for 5 days and it was even better, fluffier and tastier. Don’t be afraid to let the dough hang out and wait for you!
read through all the steps before you dive in, but then just worry about the next step. The first time I made this I was making my eyes cross trying to remember all the steps! Just focus on one at a time.
bake along with me in the video! we can do all of the steps together, it will be like we’re in the kitchen together. Be sure to hit subscribe to our YouTube Channel. We love sharing what we’re baking, what’s happening in the garden and life here at Ciderpress Lane. Plus I share all sorts of daily life gardening, baking and hosting fun on instagram @kellywelk
Babka Dough Ingredients
150 grams levain (aka fed active starter)
320 g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour
110 g (⅓ cup) milk room temperature
2 eggs room temperature
30 g (¼ cup) powdered sugar this gives you lovely soft dough!
8 g (1½ tsp) sea salt or other salt
105 g (½ cup) butter room temperature - get this to room temperature and set it aside. You won’t need it just yet.
Filling
200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
15 g (⅛ cup) all-purpose flour
43 g (3 tbsp) butter
¼ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (if you have it! this Is what makes it taste just like you’re in Greece :)
Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Final Glaze
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix together the levain, flour, milk, eggs and sugar. This dough is so easy to mix together with a dough whisk, but feel free to use a stand mixer with a dough hook if you have one. As soon a the dough has come together and is not sticking to the sides as much, sprinkle the top of the dough with the 8 grams of salt and let the dough rest in the mixing bowl 30 minutes.
Once it’s done resting, do several stretch and folds to incorporate the salt. Then start adding the butter in a little at a time. Stretch and fold, or run your stand mixer for a few minutes to ensure the butter is fully incorporated.
Now it’s time for the dough to rest, you’ll do 2 cycles of stretch and fold. Waiting 45 minutes in between each. I like to let the bowl of dough rest in the oven with just the light on. I don’t cover the bowl, instead I put a bowl of water next to it so it keeps a nice humidity. Another option is to cover the bowl with a wet kitchen towel and set in a warm spot of your kitchen.
Repeat the stretch and fold 2 time. The dough will rise slightly over the stretch and folds.
Now cover your bowl with plastic wrap and set it in your fridge overnight, OR it can rest in there for several days until you’re ready for the next step!
Shaping Your Babka
When you’re ready to shape the babka, mix the filling ingredients together in a separate bowl. I’ve found it’s easiest to work with the filling if the butter is room temperature soft when you mix it all up.
And prep your loaf pan. Either an 8 1/2 or 10 inch loaf pan will work. Butter it well, then lay parchment in to make it easy to remove the Babka.
Roll your dough out to a large rectangle approximately 12 inches x 18 inches
Sprinkle the filling over your dough leaving a little border along the edges.
Roll the dough up as tight as you can! Don’t be shy, it’s okay to really squeeze it.
Now you’re ready to braid. If your dough is feeling too sticky and floppy slide it onto a baking sheet with parchment paper and pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes. I don’t always want to wait for this step so I just wrestle with it, ha! Watch the video, you’ll understand.
To braid the Babka, cut the roll in half and twist the lengths together. It gets messy and the filling will want to fall out a bit, it’s okay!
Now transfer the rolled babka into your bread pan. It will fold over on itself.
Back to proofing it goes. Either in your oven with a bowl of water or cover it gently with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot for 2-3 hours. You’re looking for a slight increase in size, it won’t double but it should appear puffier and softer.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
While the oven is preheating prepare the egg wash. Whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water together until it’s smooth like water.. Brush the top of the babka with the egg wash. This helps it brown even better!
Bake the Babka for 40-55 minutes depending on which size pan you’ve chosen. I bake until the middle reads 185-190 degrees
While the Babka is baking mix up the final glaze of ¼ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water. You’ll know it’s mixed completely when the mixture is clear.
As soon as you take the Babka out of the oven, brush this glaze over the top then let the Babka rest in the pan for 15 minutes
Now you can remove it from the pan and set it on a cooling wrack. Be sure to scrape out all of the glaze from the bottom of the pan and drizzle it over the top! All the babka to cool before slicing, I know it’s hard to wait but trust me you’ll be glad. If you cut into it before it’s cooled it won’t hold it’s shape.
We store ours in a bread tin … well that is if there is anything left!
I know this is a LONG process but I promise it is worth the wait. My family finished this one and was already asking me to get dough ready for the next weekend :) Go ahead. Get the dough ready now so you can enjoy the fun of baking this sometime this next week!
