Earlier today I undertook my first quilted sewing project, a patchwork table runner. I’m a total amateur when it comes to sewing, and both patchwork and quilting are challenges on their own, let alone together. While my project turned out just fine (with a few minor mistakes, but it’s all part of the learning process), I wanted to get into the kitchen to remind myself that there once was a time when I was an amateur baker, and now I can make really awesome stuff like poppy seed babka.
My love for poppy seed treats knows no bounds, and this poppy seed babka is a delicious twist (ha! See what I did there?) on traditional poppy seed roll. While babka definitely takes patience, what with rising and resting time, it’s absolutely worth it.
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast* (or 1 package active dry yeast)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 8 tablespoons butter, cut into slices
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 10 ounces poppy seed filling
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
*I’ve started using SAF Red Instant Yeast, available at King Arthur Flour.
Preparation
Place 2 cups flour and yeast into the bowl of a mixer and stir together. Fit the dough hook onto your mixer.
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt, and butter, heating to 120 degrees (the butter will almost melt completely). Pour milk mixture into flour/yeast mixture along with egg and mix until combined, scraping the sides of your bowl to combine. Add remaining 1 cup flour and mix on low speed for 3 minutes, until dough becomes smooth – it will gather itself around the dough hook.
Turn dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead it for 20-30 seconds by hand, then shape it into a ball.
Place dough in a large, greased bowl; turn the dough once to grease it. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Gently deflate your dough by pressing it to release some of the air; turn onto a very lightly floured surface and let rest for 10 minutes.
While the dough is resting, in a small bowl, combine poppy seed filling and lemon juice, stirring to combine.
Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Roll dough into a 16 x 12 rectangle. Spread filling evenly over dough. From the long side, roll dough into a log and cut in half to make two shorter logs.
Place one log on top of the other to form an X, then twist ends together. Place in the loaf pan, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine egg and milk to make an egg wash; brush over dough. Bake for 50 minutes, then cover with foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, until loaf sounds hollow when tapped or the internal temperature reaches 180 to 190 degrees. Loosen loaf from pan; allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 