Wild Sourdough Babka Buns

This is one of my favourites. It took me a while to get it to where it is now and I am very and excited to share it with you this way ~ let’s get started.

Babka or Bobka (grandmother in Polish, related to the Yiddish bubbe) is a sweet braided bread developed in the Jewish community in Poland in the early 19th century. It was originally made from leftover challah dough rolled up with fruit jam or cinnamon and baked as a loaf. I love mine filled with chocolate cinnamon or poppy seeds made with brioche-like fluffy buttery dough. I use my wild sourdough starter in this recipe, which gives it a another depth of flavour and beautiful complexity in texture which I am after.

At my small wild popup bakery in Antigua I have been playing with little Babka buns instead the usual larger Babka baked as a whole. The recipe below makes about 8 small buns and require a little preparation the day before. Like all good things, baking requires a little time and patience, so I make my babka dough the night before to rest overnight in the fridge.

Equippment list

• long bread baking tin (if you make a whole one)

• baking tray (if you make smaller ones)

• non-stick baking spatula

• 2x mixing bowls

• parchment baking paper

• scale (I started without a scale stranded in Guatemala - such a treat to have one now :)

• blender (not essential but handy)

• rolling pin or empty clean wine bottle (we work with what we have..)

• clean kitchen towel or even better silicon matt (to roll dough on)

• cling film

• knife

Ingredients

Babka Dough 

• 360g all-purpose flour

• 100g unsalted butter (room temperature)

• 100g warm full-fat milk (lukewarm)

• 2 eggs

• 30g fine caster sugar

• pinch of salt

• 100g active sourdough starter

Chocolate Cinnamon Mix

• 200g unsalted soft butter

• 150g dark brown sugar

• 50g cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

METHOD

The day before ~

• Mix the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, lukewarm milk and eggs in a bowl together (wait with adding the butter just yet)

• Use your hands and work the dough, kneading it for five to ten minutes on a clean table surface until it becomes smooth and glossy

• Let it rest for 15 minutes covered with a clean cloth at room temperature

• Once the dough had time to relax a little after all that kneading, add the soft room temperature butter and work it into the dough with your hands

• Knead the dough well until shiny and well incorporated. It will become less sticky, beautiful and smooth after a while

  STRETCH & FOLD

• Over the next 1.5 hours, stretch & fold the dough every 30 min until the gluten structure develops and the dough become nice and strong —> watch my video on S&F here

• Cover the dough in the bowl with cling film and retard/cool in the fridge over night

The next day ~

• In a small bowl or blender mix together all the brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder and soft butter. Add a dash of warm water if it gets too firm

• Take the dough out of the fridge and divide dough into three and roll out each part in a 20 x 30 cm rectangle on a lightly floured silicon matt (or towel)

• With a spatula, spread the mixture over the dough (1/3rd of the mixture for each mini babka batch. Dunk the spatula into some water so that the mix does not stick

• Cut the rectangular into three equal parts and roll up the dough into a tight coil, starting at the longest end

• Place rolled dough on tray with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes allowing to harden (this makes it much easier to cut and braid after)

• Prepare your baking tray by lining it with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat

• After the 15-minute freezer rest, slice the dough coils in half lengthwise to expose the filling. Pinch the two top halves together and braid the dough one strand over the other. Connect the two ends, tucking the ends underneath each other

• Place minis onto the tray cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let to prove and rise about 30% at room temperature 25.5-26.5°C for about 1.5 hours

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius and bake babka(s) for 15-20 minutes depending on their size

• Test inside if ready and set aside to cool. You want them to be fluffy inside and golden brown on the outside. An egg wash is a great way to get some more golden colour on top if you wish

TIPS

babkas are beautiful with cinnamon, cardamon, poppyseed, almond paste, wild berry jam, anything you can imagine really. Be playful, try out a few fillings. Keep in mind that the sourdough dough has a more complex flavour and texture than if you were to bake with instant yeast so be bold in your fillings :)

Author and Recipe - Noemi Dulischewski

Author ~ Noemi Dulischewski, Wild Daughter and Local Wanderer, cooking and baking is her way to express, bringing people together over wild feasts, brunches and table gathering. More about here