Babka

This babka has three parts: dough, filling, and an optional syrup. It’s soft, rich, and perfect for weekends, hosting, or just pretending you’re fancy while eating breakfast in pijamas. I’ve added little tips along the way.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 275 g all-purpose flour
  • 7 g dry yeast
  • 20 g sugar (or 10–15 g if you’re feeling rebellious and plan to use syrup)
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 ml whole or skimmed milk
  • 80 g butter, at room temperature (because cold butter = sad dough)

Filling

  • 75 g nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans — pick your favorite, but know they will change the flavour). You can also rost them a bit if you want a stronger taste.
  • 100 g butter
  • 100 g sugar
  • 80 g chocolate flakes or chopped chocolate (the good stuff, obviously)
  • 35 g cocoa powder

Syrup (Optional)

  • A simple syrup (water + sugar)

Instructions

1. Make the Dough

  1. Warm the milk slightly (just enough to feel cozy on your fingers) and dissolve yeast and sugar in it. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until it’s foamy
  2. In a large bowl, mix flour and eggs. Gradually add the yeast milk and stir until a soft dough forms.
  3. Add butter in small bits, kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly smug about itself (it should not feel sticky)
  4. Cover and let rise 1–2 hours, or until it doubles in size

2. Prepare the Filling

  1. Chop nuts roughly
  2. Mix butter, sugar, cocoa, and chocolate over a small heat until it looks dangerously good.
  3. Add the nuts and stir or you can add them separately.
  4. Taste-test mandatory. Repeat as needed 😄.

3. Assemble the Babka

  1. Roll the dough into a rectangle
  2. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a tiny border.
  3. Sprinkle the nuts (or you can add them to the filling)
  4. Roll tightly with the seam side down.
  5. Cut lengthwise and twist each side, keeping the cut sides visible — the prettier, messier the twist, the better it tastes.
  6. Place in a greased (with butter) loaf pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise around 45 minutes — this is a good time for a victory dance.

Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
  2. Bake 30–40 minutes until golden brown and deliciously fragrant.
  3. If the top looks too confident and dark, cover loosely with foil.

⏱ Preparation Time

  • Active: ~1 hour
  • First proof: 1.5–2 hours
  • Second proof: 45 minutes
  • Bake: 35–40 minutes
  • Cooling: 20 minutes (the hardest step)

Total: Around 4½–5 hours, depending on how fast you move and how long you spend admiring the dough.

🧽 Level of Dishes to Wash

About 10 items and a mild dusting of cocoa across your kitchen.
(Medium-high effort. 100% worth it.)