Strawberry Babka Wreath
Festive Strawberry Babka wreath with strawberries and cream and made with Baileys Irish Cream. A fun twist on the classic Christmas babka.
Ingredients
Babka dough
- 500 g cake flour (4 cups)
- 7 g instant dry yeast* (1 satchel)
- 40 g milk, warm (8 tsp)
- 40 g Baileys Strawberries & Cream* (8 tsp)
- 100 g sugar (½ cup)
- 2 eggs, medium
- 30 g butter, softened (2 tbsp)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 lemon zest
- 1 orange zest
- 7 g salt (1 tsp)
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Filling
- 220 g cream cheese (1 cup)
- 220 g strawberry jam (1 cup)
Sugar syrup
- 100 g sugar (½ cup)
- 100 g water (½ cup)
Instructions
- First, we need to prepare the yeasted dough ‘starter’. In a small bowl add the yeast and 2 teaspoon of sugar. Mix with a fork. Add in the warm milk and mix well.
- Add 2 teaspoon of flour and mix well until you get a sticky paste. Set aside and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl add the eggs, salt, the rest of the sugar. Mix well until the eggs become light and airy.
- After your yeasted dough ‘starter’ has proved and doubled in size, add it to the egg mixture. Mix well with wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add in the lemon and orange zest. This will give a wonderful fragrance to your babka. Mix well to incorporate.
- Add in the sour cream, Baileys and the rest of the flour, mixing to incorporate well. We need it to be a little sticky, but do not over-mix.
- Once the flour is properly incorporated, start kneading it on your work surface. Once the dough becomes less sticky, add half of the softened butter. Knead well, folding the dough in on itself to incorporate the fat. Only mix in the remaining butter once the first chunk has been fully incorporated.
- In order to stretch the dough, gently reach under your dough and pull it over, folding it onto itself. Be careful not to rip the dough, and do slow, steady movements.
- Once the fats have been incorporated, cover with cling film and a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to prove. Let the dough prove for 30-45 minutes or until it doubles in size.
- When the dough has risen nicely, deflate it with your palms. Afterwards, roll out the dough to a rectangle roughly 60 x 40cm (24 x 15 inches). Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over the dough, followed by a thin layer of strawberry jam.
- Start rolling the dough on the longer side, ensuring the filling is tucked inside. Then, with a sharp knife cut the roll in half lengthwise. Place one half on top of the other in a cross sign, then start twisting each half around each other. Once you reach the end, pinch the dough to seal together.
- Scoop your hands under each side to lift up, then place the braided babka in a Bundt cake tin. This will ensure you get a perfectly round shape.
- Cover the babka loosely with cling film, then let prove for 30 minutes until it doubles in size. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- With a fork, quickly whip up the egg yolks with a dash of milk. Using a pastry brush, cover the babka with the egg wash. This will give it a lovely shine.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with aluminium foil to prevent the top from burning. Bake for a further 25 minutes until done. Depending on your oven, you might need more or less time – please check with a skewer to see if they’re done.
- Prepare a quick sugar syrup by heating up equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan. Cook until the liquid gets a little thicker. Once the babka is baked, poke some holes into it with a tall skewer, then pour some Baileys Strawberries & Cream over it. Brush the top with some sugar syrup to give it a good shine.
- Let cool in the tray for 30 minutes before removing. Once cooled, decorate with some cream, sugared cranberries and rosemary or other edible treats.
Notes
- I recommend using a kitchen scale in grams for more accuracy. The cups used for the conversion are standard US customary cups (1 cup flour = 136g). There are many different types of cups across the globe, which is why I strongly recommend using grams instead.
- Instant dry yeast - can also be replaced with fresh yeast in approximately 3x quantity (7g dry yeast = 25g fresh yeast).
- Baileys Strawberry & Cream - can be replaced with any other type of Irish Cream or strawberry liqueur.
- Storing - wrap in cling film and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Decorate with cream cheese before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal
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