Description
This Soft & Fluffy Nutella Babka recipe delivers a sweet, tender brioche-style bread swirled with rich Nutella, perfect for breakfast or dessert. With an overnight cold fermentation for minimum fuss and maximum flavor, this babka is beautifully twisted and baked to a golden perfection, then optionally glazed with a delicate lemon-sugar syrup for a shiny finish.
Ingredients
Dough
- 120 g Whole milk (lukewarm)
- 30 g Granulated sugar
- 12.5 g Fresh yeast
- 1 Egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 1 Egg (at room temperature)
- 250 g Bread flour (high protein content flour)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 80 g Unsalted butter (room temperature, 82% fat content)
Filling
- 140 g Nutella (gently melted, but not hot)
Syrupy Glaze (optional)
- 60 g Water
- 80 g Granulated sugar
- 20 g Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Instructions
- First Day – Prepare Yeast Mixture: Mix half of the sugar (15 g) with lukewarm milk and sprinkle fresh yeast on top. Ensure your kitchen is warm and allow the yeast to foam for about 10 minutes.
- Mix Dough Ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with a kneading hook, combine the yeast mixture with the room-temperature eggs. Add bread flour, remaining sugar, and salt, and knead until the dough starts to come together, around 1-2 minutes.
- Add Butter: Gradually add softened butter chunks into the dough, kneading continuously on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes until the dough is elastic, shiny, and slightly sticky.
- First Proofing: Transfer dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight for 12 hours. Alternatively, proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours, though overnight cold proofing is recommended for better dough handling.
- Prepare Workspace and Tools: On the next day, prepare all tools including rolling pin, measuring tape, Nutella, and a parchment-lined loaf pan. Keep dough cold by chilling in the freezer if it warms up to prevent sticking or tearing.
- Shape Dough: Punch down the cold dough to release air. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 30×42 cm (12×16 inches) rectangle.
- Spread Nutella: Warm Nutella gently in the microwave until spreadable but not hot. Evenly spread over the dough rectangle.
- Roll and Twist: Roll dough tightly from the shorter edge into a 30 cm (12 inches) long log. If dough warms, chill for 5 minutes. Cut the log lengthwise in half, then twist the two halves over each other with filling side up.
- Transfer to Pan and Second Proofing: Pinch ends together and place the twisted log carefully into the prepared loaf pan. Cover with kitchen towel and proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) no fan. Bake the babka for approximately 40 minutes until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- Make Syrupy Glaze (Optional): Towards baking end, boil water, sugar, and lemon juice until syrupy. Immediately brush hot glaze over the babka after baking for a shiny, moist finish.
- Cool and Serve: Allow syrup to soak and babka to cool slightly before removing from pan to wire rack. Serve fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Overnight refrigeration of dough improves flavor and dough handling, making shaping easier.
- Avoid using excess flour when rolling to keep babka soft and tender.
- If dough warms too much during shaping, chilling briefly will prevent tearing and sticking.
- Use fresh yeast for optimal rise and texture; if unavailable, active dry yeast can be used but quantity and proofing time may vary.
- The optional syrup glaze adds a subtle citrus sweetness and keeps the babka moist longer.
- Keep the oven fan off to preserve moisture and prevent the babka from drying out during baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
