Sourdough White Chocolate Lemon- Cranberry Babka

This is a recipe that is more time consuming, but what I love about sourdough baking is that the time put in REALLY pays off. I previously made a babka recipe for sourdough discard and yeast. It's a great staple recipe for a bread that is a showstopper and tastes delish. The yeast/ discard version is a wonderful recipe for when your sourdough journey has just started and you're waiting for your starter to become active, or even for experienced home bakers who want to try something new! In this version, I used all active sourdough starter and changed the rising times to account for a bulk fermentation. It came out so stellar that I made it again and again to be sure. It was golden, so soft and pillowy and the ideal amount of sweetness. It is the perfect breakfast bread, begging to be used in a french toast or served fresh out of the oven with some butter.

Growing up on Long Island, I was influenced a lot by Jewish baked goods like rugelach, the best NY bagels, hamentashen, and babka. Babka is an enriched dough. It's got eggs, sugar, milk and butter, like a cake! The dough is not at the sweetness level of a cake, and the sourdough starter in this version of the recipe is active and gives us a fluffy, bready chew and flavor. The mixing and rising times are the most critical part of this recipe, I will be specific. This bread is so rewarding due to its light, soft texture and sweet vanilla notes.

Yield: 2 loaves

What You'll Need:

The Babka Dough

• 2 cups warm (90 degrees F)

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla

• 2 eggs

• 200 grams active sourdough starter

• 900 grams bread flour

• 5 tb softened butter (plus 2 for lining the filling)

• Filling Per Loaf:

  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

  • 2 tb softened butter

  • 1/2 cup dried sweet cranberries

  • 1/2 lemon, zested

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• Egg wash: 1 egg, 2 tb water

Let's Make It:

1. In a large bowl and your stand mixer, pour in your warm milk, eggs and sugar and beat together to get the yolks incorporated.

2. Add your active sourdough starter and vanilla. Beat on low for 1 minute.

3. Slowly add in your flour, about 1 cup at a time. Knead on medium (level 3) for about 6 minutes. It will come together as a cohesive shape and not stick to the sides.

4. On a floured surface work the dough for about a minute to get it into a smooth ball. Slowly knead in your softened butter to incorporate.

5. Place your dough into a greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 6 hours. It should double in size.

6. After 6 hours, on a floured surface, pour out your babka dough.

7. Roll out your dough into a large rectangle (about 12 x 14)

8. Cut in half. These will each be a babka dough. Set one of your doughs aside and repeat the process below.

9. Roll out lightly to form/shape your rectangle.

10. Spread your softened butter onto your dough and pour in your fillings. (I mix the filling ingredients all together into a bowl with a rubber spatula)

11. Place the fillings all in the middle and spread evenly.

12. Roll inward like a cinnamon roll (into a large cylinder)

13. Cut down the middle to all but the top inch. Keep it attached at the top and use each "leg" of the babka dough to twist/ plait it over the other. Repeat until you run out of dough. Pinch the seams together and brush with egg wash.

14. Place your babka dough into a parchment paper-lined loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour.

15. Pre heat oven to 375 and bake for 50 minutes.

    
    

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**Enjoy toasted with butter, jam or make a 10/10 peanut butter and jelly sandwich!! I have used this to make an amazing french toast casserole!