serves
10
prep
30 minutes
cook
50 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
10
people
preparation
30
minutes
cooking
50
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Berry compote
- 50 g fresh blackberries
- 100 g fresh raspberries
- 40 g fresh blueberries
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 40 g caster sugar
Brioche dough
- 135 g full cream milk
- 1 tsp caster sugar (A)
- 8 g instant yeast
- 180 g plain flour
- 180 g baker’s flour
- 60 g caster sugar (B)
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 115 g unsalted butter, soft and pliable
- 80 g good quality milk couverture chocolate
Sugar Syrup
- 100 ml water
- 130 g caster sugar
Rising time: 2-4 hours. Chilling time: 2 hours, or overnight.
Instructions
- For the compote, place all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook for a further 5 minutes while continuously stirring.
- Transfer the compote into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the compote. Allow to cool in the refrigerator.
- For the brioche dough, Place the milk and sugar (A) into a microwave-safe bowl and heat to 40°C, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the yeast to the milk and whisk to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, until it begins to froth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, place the plain and baker’s flour, sugar (B), salt, milk and yeast mixture, egg yolks, vanilla and soft butter. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes until the dough comes together.
- Increase to medium speed and continue to mix for 10-12 minutes, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and looks shiny.
- Transfer the dough onto your workbench, fold the edges into the centre and flip the dough over so that the seams are underneath. Roll the dough to create a smooth ball and transfer into a large, lightly greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow to proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
- Once doubled in size, knock back the dough, form it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight, to firm.
- To assemble, grease and line a 9.5 cm high, 20 cm x 10 cm loaf tin. Set aside until required.
- Place the chilled dough onto your workbench and gently knock back the dough to release some of the gas. Roll the dough to a rectangle, approximately 330mm x 250mm in size.
- Reserve 100 g of the berry compote for the finishing, then spread the remaining compote over the dough. Scatter the milk chocolate chips over the compote.
- Roll the dough, lengthways, into a semi-tight log. Transfer onto a lined tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- Cut the log in half, lengthways.
- Ensuring the cut side is facing outwards, intertwine the 2 halves to create a braid. Transfer the braided dough into the prepared loaf tin.
- Cover the tin with plastic wrap and allow to proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until it increases by 50% in size.
- Heat the oven to 185°C (165°C fan forced).
- Once the babka has increased in size and slowly bounces back when gently pressed, bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Check the babka halfway through baking, if the dough looks like it is browning too much, cover the tin with foil and continue baking.
- While the babka is baking, prepare the sugar syrup. Place the water and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, remove from the heat. Set aside until required.
- Once the babka has finished baking, remove from the oven and immediately brush the surface generously with the prepared sugar syrup.
- Allow the babka to cool slightly before removing it from the tin and place onto a cooling rack.
- Prior to serving, top with the reserved berry compote.
Note
The berry compote and the sugar syrup can be prepared a day in advance.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
