Walnut Babka Recipes

BASIC BABKA

Steps:

• Stir white sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and salt into hot milk in a small bowl until butter is melted and mixture is lukewarm. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, sprinkle yeast over warm water; stir to dissolve.
• Stir milk mixture into yeast mixture. Add 2 eggs and 2 1/2 cups of the flour; beat on high until combined. With mixer on low, add remaining 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time.
• Switch to the dough hook; mix until dough leaves sides of bowl, about 5 minutes. Set dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, turning dough to coat top. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Prepare walnut filling while dough rises. Lightly beat 3 eggs in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Fold in walnuts.
• Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a large, lightly floured surface, cover with the bowl, and let rest 10 minutes. Line three 9x5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides.
• Divide dough into thirds; roll each third out to a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Spoon 1/3 of the walnut filling onto each dough square and spread to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Roll up each square tightly as for a jelly roll. Pinch ends and seams closed to seal. With your palms, roll logs back and forth until uniformly round.
• With a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut 1 log in half lengthwise to form 2 striped strands. Working quickly, twist strands loosely together with cut sides facing out, making 2 or 3 wide, horizontal twists. Fit into one of the prepared pans, patting back any loose filling and tucking ends under, if needed. It might look like a mess now, but it comes out beautifully!
• Repeat with remaining logs and pans. Cover pans with a towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Loaves should not rise above top edges of pans.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush loaf tops with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• Bake loaves until puffed, well browned, and a thermometer inserted in centers registers 200 degrees F (93 degrees C), 35 to 45 minutes. Tent with foil if tops brown before loaves are done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then use parchment to lift from pans and transfer to a wire rack.
• Cool completely, about 1 hour. Glaze if desired, then slice crosswise to serve.

WALNUT BABKA

Steps:

• Dough: Combine the milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add flour, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt, and beat on low speed until ingredients are evenly combined, about 4 minutes. Increase to medium speed and mix 2 minutes more. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and finish kneading it by hand, about 2 minutes. Form dough into a square. Place on a baking sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, then refrigerate dough at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
• Place chilled dough on lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape dough into a 10-by-28-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
• Filling: Using a pastry scraper or spatula, evenly spread butter over surface of dough. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, and currants or raisins. Using rolling pin, gently roll over filling ingredients to adhere filling to dough.
• Beginning with a long side, roll dough into a tight log. Flatten the log with the rolling pin until it is 40 inches long. Using a pizza wheel, cut log crosswise into 3 equal pieces. Then cut one of the thirds in half lengthwise. Position cut sides of dough on work surface so they are facing the same direction. Place one piece of dough on top of the other to form an X. Twist dough on each side of the X, beginning in center and working toward end to form a spiral. Transfer to a 9 1/2-by-3 1/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Repeat process with remaining dough and two more loaf pans. The dough should fill the pans lengthwise as much as possible and only come halfway up the sides of the pan. Cover with a dry, clean kitchen towel and let dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Uncover dough and bake, turning halfway through baking time, until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes (if using a convection oven, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes).
• Syrup: While loaves are baking, bring sugar and water to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and let simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool.
• When loaves are removed from oven, transfer to a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Immediately brush generously with syrup. (You will have extra syrup for another use.) Let babka cool before serving.