Cinnamon and Walnut Babka

Babka is a sweet spongy yeast cake similar to brioche and is superb for breakfast.

Ingredients make 2 loaves

180 ml lukewarm milk

2 sachets dried yeast

110 g caster sugar

3 eggs (150 g)

1 tsp salt

550 g plain white flour

150 g soft butter

Cinnamon and walnut filling

250 g toasted walnuts

220 g caster sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

110 g soft butter

2 eggs

Method

Place milk, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl and blend evenly. Add eggs, salt and flour, mix until dough is formed. Gradually add butter while mixing on low speed and keep mixing until the dough is elastic and shiny, approx. 7 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Allow resting for 2 hours. Place the toasted walnuts, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and grind. Add the butter and mix until an even paste is formed. Add eggs and mix evenly. Deflate the dough and divide into 2 pieces. Roll each dough on a lightly floured table into a rectangular shape approx. 30 x 50 cm and spread half the cinnamon and walnut filling on each rolled out dough piece. Roll each dough piece toward yourself to form a long round sausage shape. Cut through the dough the long way and plait the two pieces. Place each plaited dough piece in a greased bread tin. Cover with a tea towel and allow 2 hours for proofing. Preheat 175º C normal bake. Drizzle the top with demerara or white sugar and place the tin in the middle of the oven. Bake for approx. 40 minutes. Remove the bread from the tin and allow cooling for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack before cutting.

Note: Try substituting walnuts with almonds, macadamia or pecan nuts.