Go Back
citrus cardamom babka
Mel & Magi

Citrus and Cardamom Babka

Aromatic Magic
Welcome to a space where honest ingredients meet home-made magic. As a passionate home baker, I love exploring the magic within yeast pastries—and occasionally begging the dough to rise when I am feeling impatient. Today, I am thrilled to share this beautiful, aromatic recipe with you.
Baking History Fact:
Have you ever wondered where the sweet, brioche-like babka comes from? It actually originates from the traditions of Eastern European Jewish communities, primarily in Poland and Ukraine. Back in the 19th century, resourceful Jewish homemakers made sure absolutely nothing went to waste; they began baking it from leftover bread dough scraps, filling them with jam or cinnamon. Later, immigrants brought this brilliant tradition to America, where it evolved into the rich dessert we know today.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Czech
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Omládek (Preferment)
  • 75 g Milk
  • 7 g Fresh yeast
  • 75 g Flour
Main Dough
  • All of it Ripe omládek
  • 295 g Flour
  • 60 g Milk or plain yogurt
  • 45 g Sugar
  • 1 piece Large egg
  • 30 g Butter cold and cubed
  • 30 g Oil
  • 3 g Salt
Filling
  • 55 g Butter
  • 55 g Cane sugar
  • 1/2 orange 1 lemon, or 1 lime Citrus zest
  • A pinch Ground cardamom
Glaze
  • 75 g Powdered sugar
  • 30 g Cream cheese
  • 12 g Citrus juice orange, lemon, or lime

Method
 

  1. Creating the Omládek (Preferment): When mixing the omládek, always combine the milk with the yeast first, and only then stir in the flour. Mix it until smooth, cover it, and let it rest. You want it to double in volume and develop distinct bubbles on the surface. This takes about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
  2. Mixing the Main Dough: Combine your bubbly omládek with the flour, milk (or yogurt), sugar, and the egg. Mix these ingredients thoroughly. Remember our golden rule: any fat (the oil and the cold, cubed butter) and the salt must be incorporated into the dough only after these initial ingredients are beautifully combined.
  3. Kneading with Patience: Knead the dough until it is completely smooth and naturally pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Patience is absolutely essential here. Please do not panic and dump extra flour into the bowl; just let the gluten develop properly.
  4. The Main Fermentation: Cover your dough and let it rise until it doubles in volume. This typically takes 1 to 1.5 hours, but remember that the crucial factor is always the visible increase in volume, not the ticking clock.
  5. Shaping the Babka: Once the dough has doubled, turn it out and stretch or roll it into a rectangle, adjusting the size based on your baking pan. Spread your prepared citrus and cardamom filling evenly over the surface, then roll the dough tightly into a cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder in half lengthwise. Expose the layered interior and twist the two halves together to form a simple braid. Yes, it will look like a messy disaster for a brief second, but braid it confidently!
  6. Final Proofing: Place the braided babka into a loaf pan (a toast or saddle pan) that has been thoroughly greased with butter. You can let it proof in a warm place until beautifully risen, or cover it with oiled cling film and let it cold-proof in the fridge overnight.
  7. Baking with a Spa Treatment: Preheat your oven to 180 °C. To give our babka the ultimate oven spring, bake it with steam for the first 10 minutes. After the initial 10 minutes, remove the steam source and continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes (bringing the total baking time to 35-40 minutes). Check the babka after 20 minutes; if the top is getting too much of a tan, cover it gently with aluminum foil. Crucial step: Turn the babka out of the pan immediately after baking! If you let it cool in the pan, the caramelized sugar will cement it to the sides forever.
  8. The Finishing Touch: While the babka cools, mix the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and citrus juice into a smooth glaze. Once the pastry has cooled to room temperature, brush the glaze generously over the top.

Notes

Baking Tips for Success:
  • Instant Removal: Turn the babka out of the pan immediately after baking! If you let it cool in the pan, the caramelized sugar from the filling will cement it to the sides forever.
  • The Braid: Don't worry if twisting the cut dough looks messy at first. Exposing the layers while braiding is exactly what creates the beautiful marbled effect once baked!