Almond Chai Babka
Babka is one of my all-time favorite bakes: fun to make, fun to look at, and fun to eat. Enriching this babka dough with sweetpotato puree gives it a golden hue, and a spicy, chai-inspired swirl sweetens the whole thing up!
Almond Chai Babka
Servings: 8–10
Prep time: 45 minutes (plus 2–3 hours rising time)
Cook time: 40–45 minutes
Total time: ~3.5–4.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sweetpotato
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely ground almonds (or almond flour)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Sweetpotato: Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweetpotato with a fork and bake 45–60 minutes until soft. Let cool, scoop, and mash. Measure 1 cup mashed sweetpotato.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, and salt. Add sweetpotato, softened butter, eggs, and warm milk. Mix into a shaggy dough, then knead by hand (8–10 minutes) or with a mixer (5 minutes) until smooth and slightly sticky. Let rise 1–2 hours until doubled.
- Make the Filling: Melt 6 tbsp butter over low heat, stir in brown sugar until smooth, then remove from heat. Stir in ground almonds, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and almond extract. Let cool to thicken slightly.
- Assemble: Roll dough into a 10×16 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll up tightly from the long side into a log and pinch the seams to seal.
- Shape: Slice the log lengthwise and twist the two halves together, keeping the cut sides facing up. Place into a greased loaf pan and let rise again until puffed and slightly springy.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake 40–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean, or internal temp reaches 190°F.
- Cool & Serve: Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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