Pecan Babka Loaves
YumPecan Babka Loaves: three loaves with detailed photos show how simple it is to make these loaves any time of the year !
The secret of how to make this beautiful dessert is in the dough ingredients: crispy dough made with yeast rises up these Pecan Babka Loaves to a new level.
If made for holidays, it remains fresh for two or even three weeks, stored in a box. It could be sliced and wrapped to give away together with the cookies. Also, it freezes well. To make it short: this is a keeper.
This holidays’ dessert is so easy to make although it may look complicated at first glance; the process is the same as for cinnamon rolls but there is one step less to do, actually.
You don’t cut the log to have individual slices to place them on baking pan as you would do with cinnamon rolls. Instead you leave the logs in one peace, place them in the baking pan and the rest is up to your oven.
Since the dough is really tasty one, it could be combined with so many different fillings and you can really enjoy the taste you prefer the most.
My grandmother used to fill babka loaves with cottage cheese mixture, jams, cocoa or carob but this nutty comforting winter combination is my favourite.
Here we have the phases I photographed during the process so you see the most important steps; just remember that the photos show only one of three dough you see at the end:
First, you roll one third of dough with rolling pin:
Then you spread one third of the filling and roll the dough ( be sure to leave about ½ inch free border all around the rolled dough since the filling tends to spill out although stiff ):
And place the loaves into the baking dish and leave to rise:
Pecan Babka Loaves
Pecan Babka Loaves: three loaves with detailed photos show how simple it is to make these loaves any time of the year !
Ingredients
- Dough ingredients:
3 Tbsp warm milk, 1 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp fresh yeast
- 1 cup + 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup butter ( 1 stick + 2 tsp )
- 2 egg yolks
- Filling ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup pecans, ground
- ½ cup hot milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Cinnamon to taste
- 1 Tbsp dark rum
- 1 Tbsp bitter cocoa powder
- 4 Tbsp powdered sugar + extra to powder loaves before serving
Instructions
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In a mug, combine warm milk, sugar and fresh yeast. Leave aside.
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On a clean working surface, combine all purpose flour, salt, butter and egg yolks.
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Add milk mixture into it and knead to get a smooth dough.
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Leave to raise for 30 minutes.
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While the dough is rising, combine filling ingredients in a small pot.
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Knead the dough again and divide to have three equal small balls.
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Butter 7 x 7 inches baking dish and leave aside.
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Sprinkle some flour on the working surface and roll out one dough ball ( approx 10 inches wide ) just like you would do for cinnamon rolls.
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Using spoon, evenly spread 1/3 of filing on the dough and roll it.
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Place it into the baking dish.
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Repeat with remaining two dough balls.
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Preheat the oven to 180 C / 356 F.
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Leave loaves aside to rise for 20 minutes.
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Bake for 27 minutes.
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When baked, leave in the dish to cool.
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Before slicing and serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar to taste.
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