This delicious vegan hazelnut babka is a dream come true: layers of soft and fluffy bread filled with the most delicious roasted hazelnuts filling. This cake is moist, perfectly sweet and absolutely irresistible!
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Resting time13 hourshrs
Total Time14 hourshrs20 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: swiss
Keyword: Babka, Bread, Haselnut
Servings: 8
Author: Carlo Cao
Equipment
Food processor or kneading machine
Ingredients
Dough
300gwhite flour((10½ oz))
40gsugar((1½ oz))
1teaspooninstant yeast
½teaspoonsalt
180mlsoy milk lukewarm((6⅓ oz))
80gvegan butter((3 oz))
Filling
120ghazelnuts((4½ oz))
50galmonds((2 oz))
60gsugar((2¼ oz))
60gwater((2¼ oz))
1teaspooncinnamon
1lemonzested
½teaspoonsalt
Syrup
60gsugar((2¼ oz))
60mlwater((2¼ oz))
Instructions
Dough
*The day before baking: place flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a food processor or kneading machine and mix briefly.
Add milk and knead into a dough.
Add the softened butter and knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Filling
For the filling, place hazelnuts and almonds on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake at 200 °C (390 °F) for about 5 minutes. Mix the nuts briefly and roast for another 3 minutes. Then allow to cool briefly.
Place nuts in a food processor and coarsely chop (set 2 tablespoons aside). Add cinnamon, sugar, lemon zest, salt and water and blend until a paste is formed.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Braiding
The next day, line an 11 x 21 cm (4⅓ x 8¼ inches) cake pan with baking paper.
Knead dough briefly and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm.
Spread the nut paste evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 cm border. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped nuts on top and press down lightly.
Roll the dough tightly into a sausage starting from one of the long edges. Place the sausage on a sheet of baking paper and cut in half lengthwise with a sharp knife to reveal the filling.
Intertwine the two halves so that the cut sides are facing up, place in the prepared form, and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Start preheating the oven to 180°C (360 °F).
Bake the babka for about 35-45 minutes, in the middle of the oven until golden brown.
Syrup
While the babka is in the oven, prepare the syrup. Place sugar and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and set aside.
Brush the babka with the syrup and let cool in the form so it can soak up the syrup.