Blueberry Babka
Who wants to make this delicious, out of this world Blueberry Babka? I put together a quick recipe for you to try. It doesn’t take a whole day to make and it’s perfect for breakfast or dessert alike.
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HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY BABKA
Traditional Chocolate Babka recipes takes hours to make. What would you say if we cut that time to 2 hours (including rising of the dough)? Are you in?
SWEET BREAD DOUGH
I used my Sweet Bread Dough Recipe. I love this dough because it’s fast. It’s easy to work with and gives such great results.
If you don’t have time to bake the babka right away cover it with a plastic wrap and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Let it come to room temperature and let it rise on the counter. Bake it off as directed in the recipe.
I often make My Cinnamon Rolls at night and let them rest in fridge overnight. Next morning I let them rise and bake them fresh.
However if you are in a rush you can make this blueberry babka with fabulous results in no time. I made a slight adjustment to the sweet bread recipe. Instead of 2 egg yolks I used 6 egg yolks and I added additional 3 tablespoons of flour. Addition of egg yolks makes a super rich, delicious dough.
My sweet bread dough recipe makes 2 babkas. You can also half the sweet bread dough recipe to make just one loaf.
I cut prepared dough in half. Then I shaped each piece into a ball. Next, I placed one ball on the work surface and I covered it with a kitchen towel. I let it rest for 15 minutes. Resting helps to relax the dough, it’s easier to roll our after. And it also give you time to prepare filling and streusel.
I placed 2nd half of the dough into a bowl and I covered it with a kitchen towel. I let it rise for 50 minutes. Once I had my 1st babka in the oven I shaped another babka using the 2nd half of the dough. By the time 1st babka was baked 2nd babka was ready to go into the oven.
BLUEBERRY FILLING FOR BREAD
- Fresh or frozen blueberries
- Sugar
- Corn Starch
I quickly processed fresh blueberries, sugar and corn starch in a chopper. Pulse for about 5 seconds or so. Just till blueberries are broken up into smaller chunks. Then pour mixture into a pot and cook mixture on medium heat until thickened. Stirring bring mixture to simmer and cook for additional 30 seconds to a minute.
Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stirring occasionally to prevent skin from forming. You can speed up the process by using a cold water bath. Pour cold water into a large bowl or a pot and then carefully place bowl with hot blueberry filling into the cold water. Taking care not to get any water into the filling. Stir the filling occasionally to prevent skin from forming.
FILL AND SHAPE THE BREAD
Roll out 1st ball of rested Sweet Bread Dough into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick, 12 inch wide and 14-16 inch long.
Either spread the filling over the whole dough and roll it into a log or use the folding method as shown in the picture below.
Cut the log in half lengthwise. Braid 2 strands, pinch the ends and transfer a twist bread into a loaf pan sprayed with a nonstick spray and lined with a parchment. Let rise in a warm place for 50 minutes.
STREUSEL
- Flour
- Sugar
- Butter
In a bowl stir flour and sugar. Add cut up butter. Press butter between your fingers working it into the dry mixture until you have coarse texture. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
Once the blueberry babka has risen brush it with room temperature milk. Then generously sprinkle streusel topping on the top.
BAKE BLUEBERRY BABKA
Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 30 minutes. Then cover top loosely with a foil dome to prevent over browning. Continue baking for 15 more minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, without any dough on it. Skewer will be most likely purple from the filling, that’s ok.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer blueberry babka onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
CAN I USE OTHER FRUIT FILLINGS?
Of course. You can get creative and make variety fruit fillings. If using peach or apricot filling I’d suggest you’d 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to streusel topping.
WHAT OTHER FILLINGS CAN I TRY?
WHAT OTHER FILLINGS CAN BE USED?
- Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- Espresso Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- Cocoa Sugar Filling
- Chocolate Pudding
- Dry fruit, Walnuts, Pecans
I’D LIKE TO FREEZE BABKA, SHOULD I FREEZE IT SLICED OR WHOLE?
I personally freeze it sliced. Freeze for up to 2 months.
I DON’T HAVE CORN STARCH WHAT ELSE CAN I USE?
Use flour, arrowroot or tapioca.
TO MAKE BLUEBERRY BABKA YOU NEED
- RECIPES
- Sweet Bread Dough Recipe (to make richer dough I used 6 egg yolks in place of 2 and I added 3 tbsp of additional flour)
- Filling, Streusel Recipe – below
- TOOLS
- Loaf Pan
- Parchment
- Dough EZ Rolling System
- Cooling Rack – I have 3 sets, love them!
- Aluminum Foil – to make a foil dome
MORE DELICIOUS BREAD RECIPES :
Blueberry Babka
Ingredients
Bread/Yeast Dough
- 1 batch Sweet Bread Dough Recipe ( for richer dough use 6 egg yolks in place of 2 in the recipe, and add additional 3 tbsp of flour )
Blueberry Filling per 1 Babka
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
Streusel
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp room temperature milk – to brush the top of risen babka before adding streusel
Instructions
Prepare Loaf pan
- Spray the pan with a non stick spray. Line the pan with a small piece of parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch overhanging on each long side. Set aside.
Sweet Bread Dough
- Prepare Sweet Bread Dough – link to the recipe is listed in the notes and at the top of the post.
- Prepare the dough according to the recipe. Cut the dough in half, shape dough into 2 balls. Cover and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Resting allows dough to become more relaxed and easier to roll out.
- This recipe yields 2 bread loafs baked in 9×4.5 inch loaf pan.
- TIP : For a richer dough use 6 egg yolks in place of 2 in my basic sweet bread recipe. And use additional 3 tbsp of flour.
Blueberry Filling
- Process blueberries in a food processor until chunky (2 cups), granulated sugar (1/2 cups) and corn starch (1/4 cup). Pour mixture into a pot and cook the mixture on a medium heat. Stirring, until it thickens. It will resemble a consistency of a pudding. Bring it to boil and simmer for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Cover with a plastic wrap to prevent crusting.
- TIP: How to cool blueberry filling : use water bath to quickly cool the filling, stirring frequently. Or cover filling with a plastic wrap to prevent the skin from forming and refrigerate overnight. Bring the filling to room temperature before using.
Streusel
- In a bowl combine flour (1/2 cup) and sugar (2/3 cup). Add cut up piece of butte(2 tbsp) and with your fingers press the butter into the flour/sugar mixture until you have a coarse texture.
Shaping the Blueberry Babka
- Roll out 1 ball of yeast dough. Traditionally filling is spread over the top of the dough. And roll it into a log. I used a folding technique (as seen in the video and picture tutorial). Use what you prefer.
- Cut the log lengthwise and shape a 2 strand braid. Pinch the ends and transfer loaf into a prepared loaf pan. Let it rise for 50 minutes.
- Repeat with a second ball of dough. Or use the dough to make kolache, rolls or a small slab bread.
Bake Blueberry Babka
- Once the bread is risen brush it with a room temperature milk or alternatively spray with some water. And generously sprinkle streusel on the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 30 minutes. Then loosely cover loaf with a foil dome and bake for additional 15 minutes. Test if the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. It is normal to have a skewer come out discolored. As long as dough is not clinging to it it's okay.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
WHERE IS RECIPE FOR SWEET BREAD DOUGH YOU USE?
Sweet Bread Dough RecipeCAN I USE OTHER FRUIT?
Of course. Use strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots, cranberries apples. Have fun and enjoy the process of making a delicious bread loaf.I DON’T HAVE CORN STARCH WHAT ELSE CAN I USE?
You can use flour, arrowroot or tapioca.WHAT OTHER FILLINGS CAN BE USED?
Cinnamon Sugar Filling Cocoa Sugar Filling Chocolate Pudding Dry fruit, Walnuts, PecansPIN IT for later
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Hi
What do you mean by “Quickly process blueberries”? In food processor? Can you elaborate? Thx, Michal
Hi Michal, yes, in the food processor, but don’t puree them, the mixture should be chunky.
Thank you.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! However, I’m wondering if I should proof the sweet dough as instructed in the sweet dough recipe and the follow the babka recipe (total of two proofing) or should I only proof the dough once when the blueberry is in it?
Thanks a lot
Hi Megane,
If you are short on time you can proof once but for more flavorful delicate dough I’d recommend second proof, too. Happy Baking.
Regarding the richer dough option. In the bread/yeast dough ingredient list of this recipe, you recommend using 6 egg yolks instead of 2 and adding 3 tablespoons of flour. But, in the directions’ yeast dough section of this recipe, you recommend using 5 egg yolks and 4 tablespoons of flour. Which is correct?
Thanks.
This recipe looks like it could be a real winner. I am anxious to try it.
HI Donald, how did it go? Did you try it out? Sorry for typo, it’s 6 egg yolks in place of 2 in the recipe, and add additional 3 tbsp of flour.
The blueberry babka turned out great. I made two small deviations from the recipe. #1 For the streusel topping, I used 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter. The extra tablespoon was needed to absorb the flour and sugar. Next time, I will probably use less sugar and flour in the streusel and used the recommended 3 tablespoons of butter. I lavished the babka with as much streusel as each loaf could hold and still had more than a half cup extra. #2 I used two cups of blueberries, but before cooking them, I used my immersion blender on 1/2 cup. Then, i cooked the entire 2 cups of blueberries according to instructions. The result was a nice combination of blueberries and “blueberry paste” which spread wonderfully on the dough.
The recipe was everything I hoped it would be. Thanks for providing it!
Hi Donald,
that’s wonderful. I wish I had a slice right now. Stay Safer.
The possibilities!!! Yum!!!!
Omg yes. I can’t wait to try other fillings!