Poppy Seed Sourdough Babka
This sourdough babka has a soft and tender crumb with beautiful swirls of sweet poppy seed filling. It’s made with an enriched brioche-like dough, which contributes to a delicate texture and a rich taste, making it a delicious sweet treat for any time of the day.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Sourdough Babka
Step 1 | Make the sweet leaven:
In a mason jar, combine the sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and sugar. Stir until the starter is fully dissolved. Add the flour and mix well to incorporate. The leaven will have a stiff, dough-like consistency. To make sure that the ingredients are well combined, you can briefly knead the leaven on the counter until it feels smooth and elastic. Then, place it back into the jar and loosely cover it with a lid. Let it rise in a warm spot (27 °C–30 °C) for about four hours, or until it has at least doubled in size and looks airy. It should have a pleasant dairy-like smell and a slightly sweet aroma.
Step 2 | Make the main dough:
Add the active leaven, sugar, egg, and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until the ingredients are well combined and the leaven is fully dissolved. Then, switch to the dough hook and add the flour to the bowl. Mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until the flour is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully absorb the liquids, which makes the dough more cohesive. While the dough is resting, cut the butter into small cubes and let it soften.
Step 3 | Develop Dough STrength:
Add the salt to the dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Then, while the mixer is running on low speed, add the softened butter cubes, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Once all the ingredients are well combined, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 15 minutes to build sufficient dough strength. The dough is fully developed when it releases from the sides of the mixing bowl and clings to the dough hook. After kneading, it will have a shiny surface and should feel soft and smooth.
Step 4 | First Rise:
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest in a warm spot (26 °C–28 °C) for the first rise. This will take about 4 hours. By the end of the first rise, you should see lots of small air bubbles throughout the dough, but it doesn’t have to double in size during this time. Then, place it in the fridge for a cold overnight rise.
Step 5 | Make the Poppy Seed Filling:
The next morning, take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the poppy seed filling: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the milk, sugar, honey, rum, and cinnamon and bring it to a boil. Stir in the poppy seeds and take the pot off the heat. Cover it with a lid, and let the mixture soak for about 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a small bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Step 6 | ROll the dough OUt:
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle (about 30 × 50 cm). Evenly spread the poppy seed filling over the dough, leaving a bit of space around the edges. Then, starting from one short side, roll the dough up into a tight log with the seam side facing down. Using a very sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise.
Roll the dough out -
Add the filling -
Roll it into a log
Step 7 | Shape the babka:
Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and set it aside. Twist the two strands together to shape a babka: Starting in the middle, cross the left strand over the right. Then, twist the upper half and cross the right side under the left. Then again, left over right, and so on. Continue until the top part is fully twisted, and repeat the process on the lower half. Gently lift it up and place it into the prepared loaf tin.
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Twist the strands together -
Place it into a loaf pan
Step 8 | Second Rise:
Cover the tin loosely with plastic wrap and let it proof in a warm spot (30 °C) for the second rise. This will take about 4 hours. Keep in mind that it may take longer in a cooler proofing environment. The babka is fully proofed and ready to bake when it has significantly increased in size and has risen slightly above the rim of the loaf pan.
Step 9 | Bake the babka:
Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and bake the babka for about 40–50 minutes. It is done when the surface is golden brown and the internal temperature has reached at least 83 °C. Take it out of the oven and let it rest in the loaf tin for about 10 minutes. Then lift it out and allow it to cool to room temperature before cutting into it.
Sample Baking Schedule
Day 1
Day 2
More Sourdough Recipes You May Like:
Poppy Seed Sourdough Babka
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment and dough hook
- Loaf pan – (23 x 13 cm | 9 x 5 inch)
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
For the stiff, sweet leaven:
- 40 g sourdough starter
- 40 g water – lukewarm
- 15 g sugar
- 80 g bread flour
For the main dough:
- All of the active leaven
- 160 ml milk
- 1 egg
- 85 g sugar
- 320 g bread flour
- 8 g salt
- 100 g butter – cut into small cubes and softened
For the poppy seed filling:
- 40 g butter
- 150 ml milk
- 100 g sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp rum
- 200 g ground poppy seeds
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg – beaten
Instructions
- MAKE THE SWEET LEAVEN:In a mason jar, combine the sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and sugar. Stir until the starter is fully dissolved. Add the flour and mix well to incorporate. The leaven will have a stiff, dough-like consistency. To make sure that the ingredients are well combined, you can briefly knead the leaven on the counter until it feels smooth and elastic. Then, place it back into the jar and loosely cover it with a lid. Let it rise in a warm spot (27 °C–30 °C) for about four hours, or until it has at least doubled in size and looks airy. It should have a pleasant dairy-like smell and a slightly sweet aroma.
- MAKE THE MAIN DOUGH:Add the active leaven, sugar, egg, and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until the ingredients are well combined and the leaven is fully dissolved. Then, switch to the dough hook and add the flour to the bowl. Mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until the flour is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully absorb the liquids, which makes the dough more cohesive. While the dough is resting, cut the butter into small cubes and let it soften.
- DEVELOP DOUGH STRENGTH:Add the salt to the dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Then, while the mixer is running on low speed, add the softened butter cubes, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Once all the ingredients are well combined, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 15 minutes to build sufficient dough strength. The dough is fully developed when it releases from the sides of the mixing bowl and clings to the dough hook. After kneading, it will have a shiny surface and should feel soft and smooth.
- FIRST RISE:Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest in a warm spot (26 °C–28 °C) for the first rise. This will take about 4 hours. By the end of the first rise, you should see lots of small air bubbles throughout the dough, but it doesn’t have to double in size during this time. Then, place it in the fridge for a cold overnight rise.
- MAKE THE POPPY SEED FILLING:The next morning, take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the poppy seed filling: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the milk, sugar, honey, rum, and cinnamon and bring it to a boil. Stir in the poppy seeds and take the pot off the heat. Cover it with a lid, and let the mixture soak for about 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a small bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
- ROLL THE DOUGH OUT:Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle (about 30 × 50 cm). Evenly spread the poppy seed filling over the dough, leaving a bit of space around the edges. Then, starting from one short side, roll the dough up into a tight log with the seam side facing down. Using a very sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise.
- SHAPE THE BABKA:Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and set it aside. Twist the two strands together to shape a babka: Starting in the middle, cross the left strand over the right. Then, twist the upper half and cross the right side under the left. Then again, left over right, and so on. Continue until the top part is fully twisted, and repeat the process on the lower half. Gently lift it up and place it into the prepared loaf tin.
- SECOND RISE:Cover the tin loosely with plastic wrap and let it proof in a warm spot (30 °C) for the second rise. This will take about 4 hours. Keep in mind that it may take longer in a cooler proofing environment. The babka is fully proofed and ready to bake when it has significantly increased in size and has risen slightly above the rim of the loaf pan.
- BAKE THE BABKA:Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and bake the babka for about 40–50 minutes. It is done when the surface is golden brown and the internal temperature has reached at least 83 °C. Take it out of the oven and let it rest in the loaf tin for about 10 minutes. Then lift it out and allow it to cool to room temperature before cutting into it.
