Emerging from the shtetls of Poland in the early 19th century, the first babkas were made with leftover chellah dough and swirled with jam or cinnamon, the braided shape said to symbolise the tight bond of those orthodox communities. The traditional form has survived and evolved through the intervening centuries, and one particular New York bakery helped to revive the babka as a popular treat about a decade ago, with new aficionados adding all sorts of fillings – including the especially delicious Lotus Biscoff spread
| Created by | Spinneys |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Rising Time | 60 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Serves | 8 |
| Cuisine | European |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Preparation | Moderate |
| Calories | 597 |
| Fat | 23g |
| Saturates | 8.5g |
| Protein | 14.2g |
| Carbs | 81.9g |
| Sugars | 25.5g |
| Given the cook-at-home nature of Spinneys and natural variations in ingredients, nutritional information is approximated. See details | |
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
Download PDFTo make the dough, combine the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Combine the 1 tsp vanilla, milk and butter in a small saucepan set over a low heat. Allow the butter to melt completely, then set aside to cool until lukewarm. Gradually add the milk mixture and 1 egg to the flour mixture and mix to form a shaggy dough (you may not need all the liquid). Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, approx. 10-15 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and allow to rise for approx. 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle, approx. 40cm x 60cm. Spread the Biscoff spread over half of the dough and sprinkle over the sea salt flakes. Fold the uncovered dough over the filling and gently press together. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut into thin strips between 2cm-2½cm thick.
Twist each strand of dough a few times then, gripping one end between your thumb and forefingers, coil the dough around the fingers to form a bun shape, finishing by folding the end of the dough over and under.
Place each bun on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving 5cm of space between each bun. Cover the tray lightly with a sheet of cling film and set aside until risen and puffy (approx. 45 minutes-1 hour).
Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5.
When ready to bake, beat the remaining egg and brush over the buns. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
To make the glaze, boil 75g sugar and water in a saucepan for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1 tsp vanilla extract.
While the buns are still hot from the oven, generously brush over the glaze.
Once cool, store in a sealed container for up to three days.
