Recipes

Sourdough Babka

Ingredients

Levain

  • 45g ripe starter
  • 45g water
  • 45g all-purpose white flour

Dough

  • the levain
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 105g milk
  • 310g all-purpose white flour
  • 30g superfine sugar
  • 8g salt
  • 100g butter, cut into pats; at room temp

Filling

  • 40g melted butter
  • 175g dark brown sugar
  • 12g flour
  • 6g cinnamon

Timing

About 25 h 40 min start to finish.

  1. Levain mix.
  2. 3 h rest
  3. Mix dough. See notes.
  4. 10 min rest
  5. Mix butter. See notes.
  6. 1 h bulk fermentation
  7. Fold
  8. 3 h bulk fermentation at warm temp. Maybe longer if it’s cool
  9. Wrap for fridge
  10. 12 h ± 3 h overnight rest in fridge
  11. Mix up filling. Cut out a parchment paper hammock. Roll out the dough on floured surface to 10"x24". Spread filling, leaving an inch on one long end. Roll tightly and seal at the end.
  12. 10 min freeze
  13. On parchment paper, slice down the length. Carefully braid, and pinch both ends together. Scrunch it down so it fits into pan (and put it in there).
  14. 5 h proof. Maybe longer if not warm
  15. Bake for an 40-45 minutes at 350. Internal temp should be 205.
  16. Done

Notes

This skips his proposed simple syrup glaze and egg wash. Def plenty sweet as is.

Initial mix: dough hook and mixer. Mix starter, milk, egg, flour, salt, sugar on low for 1-2 mins until combined, then medium for 3-4 mins until “dough clinks to dough hook”.

Butter mix: low speed, add one pat at a time until absorbed into dough. 5-8 minutes to get all butter incorporated. Medium for another 1-2 minutes until “dough smooths out abd clings to the dough hook once again. The dough will be silky smooth, elastic, and a little shiny.”

Source

This is Maurizo Leo’s “Cinnamon Babka” from The Perfect Loaf (the book, not the website).