Recipe Hazelnut Babka

Recipe: Hazelnut Babka

THE DOUGH

87 gr almond milk (warm)
12 gr fresh yeast
1 tsp honey
65 gr applesauce (aka applepurée, at room temperature)
270 gr organic white spelt flour, plus extra for dusting
32 gr extra virgin olive oil,
1 tbsp water (at room temperature),
20 gr raw brown sugar
7 gr salt

You can make this dough with or without a stand mixer. I’ve used my bread machine to knead the dough, but you can also use your hands (elbow grease never hurt!) If using a stand mixer/bread machine:

Step 1

Combine almond milk, fresh yeast and honey and let the yeast melt. Activate the machine at low speed (choose dough setting if using a bread machine).

Step 2

Add the applesauce and gradually sift the flour into the machine’s pan.

Step 3

Drizzle oil and water and let them blend until fully absorbed.

Step 4

Add brown sugar and salt and let knead for 15 minutes, until you obtain a nice and smooth (slightly sticky) dough.

Step 5

Put the dough into a bowl and cover, let it rise in a warm place for 1.5/2 hours or until doubled.

Hazelnut Babka

120 gr hazelnuts
15 gr dark chocolate
1 tbps unsweetened cocoa powder
30 gr ground hazelnuts to sprinkle

Step 1

Prepare the dough as mentioned above.

Step 2

While rising, prepare the hazelnut spread: blend hazelnuts, chocolate and cocoa powder until nice and creamy (you’ll need a very strong blender for this as most regular ones aren’t strong enough to quickly make nut butter from the hazelnuts). Let it chill in the fridge to firm a bit.

Step 3

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to be approximately 30 x 40 cm.

Step 4

Spread ¾ of the hazelnut filling* leaving a border around the dough.

Step 5

Roll it up from the bottom (the longer edge) to the top, until you get a long snug roll (make sure the end is tucked under)

Step 6

Chill the babka in the freezer for 20/30 minutes (make sure it doesn’t freeze).

Step 7

Using a bread knife, cut the log lengthwise.

Step 8

Take a piece and fold it onto the other, forming a braid.

Step 9

Pinch the edges together to seal the babka.

Step 10

Line a 10 x 22 cm (approximately 8 x 4 inches) loaf pan with parchment paper (if you use a silicon/paper pan, you don’t need to line it).

Step 11

Place the babka into the pan and let it rise for 2 hours.

Step 12

Preheat the oven at 180°C.

Step 13

Brush the surface of your babka with egg yolk, sprinkle some roughly ground hazelnuts on top and bake for 30/35 minutes.

Step 14

Let it cool before removing it from the pan. Eat it or freeze it.

BON APPÉTIT!