BRAIDED PESTO BABKA

I love home-baked bread. And when the bread is made with pesto, it surely is a winner. That is why I tried making Braided Pesto Babka. It looks gorgeous and tastes awesome, especially when served with flavored olive oil, hummus, sauce, or soup. This delicious bread is made by adding a generous layer of pesto to the dough, which is then shaped in a braid.

Winter is incomplete without some home-baked goods. Pesto Babka surely lies in that category. Home-baked Braided Pesto Babka will fill your house with its beautiful aroma. I made this savory babka for my holiday dinner but was so busy I couldn't write about it till now. I made babka using fresh basil pesto & the flavor was outstanding.

Braided Pesto Babka might look a little complicated to some but believe me it's not. If you like baking & if you have baked some bread, then this is one of the easiest recipes that you need to try.

WHAT IS BABKA?

Babka is a popular bread that is made by rolling the dough in a braid. This originated in Jewish communities of Poland & Ukraine. It is made by using a yeast dough that is rolled out and then stuffing of chocolate, cream cheese, etc is added. Then it is rolled into a log and shaped into a babka. If you are looking for a sweet Babka recipe, CLICK HERE.

I don't like sweets much. So I tried to make a savory babka using pesto. But you can use any savory flavoring like sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil, etc to make babka.

SAVORY BRAIDED PESTO BABKA INGREDIENTS

• PESTO: You can use homemade pesto or store-bought one. I have made it at home using fresh basil leaves with some spinach, pine nuts, cashews, and extra-virgin olive oil.
• FLOUR: It's best to use bread flour for the recipe, but any flour will work too. For a gluten-free option, you can use almond flour. Or you can also use all-purpose flour, wheat flour, etc.
• YEAST: It is one of the main ingredients for the recipe to raise the dough. You can use active yeast and mix it in liquid.
• LIQUID: I have used some warm milk to make babka extremely soft, but water will also work. Remember to use the warm liquid in the recipe.
• SWEETENER: You can use honey/sugar, maple syrup, brown sugar in the recipe.
• TOPPINGS: You can use some sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, etc as a topping for some extra flavor.
• OIL/BUTTER: Butter will work better, but you can also use some olive oil or avocado oil in the recipe too.

TIPS TO REMEMBER

1. Mix honey or any sweetener with liquid. Honey or sugar will help in activating the yeast quickly.
2. The liquid (milk/water) should be warm and not hot. If the liquid is hot, you won't be able to activate the yeast.
3. Knead the dough until it forms like a dough. Don't over-mix it.
4. For raising the dough, you can place the dough in a warm place for 1-2 hours or in an Instant Pot.
5. Before baking, brush some butter or olive oil on the dough. This will help in making the bread crust brown & crispy.

HOW TO MAKE BRAIDED PESTO BABKA

1. Mix Honey & butter in warm milk until they are combined. Then add instant Yeast and let it sit until the mixture is foamy & bubbly.

   

   

2. Then knead the yeast mixture with flour using a stand mixer until it forms like a dough.
3. Let the dough rest at a warm place for 1-2 hours or in an Instant Pot until it doubles in size.

   

   

   

4. Once the dough has raised, knead it one more time. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a rectangular shape until it is ¼- ½ inch in thickness.

   

   

   

5. Add a generous layer of pesto sauce (homemade or store-bought) in the middle. Leave the sides, as it will help in rolling the dough if it doesn't have any sauce there.
6. Beginning with the longer side, roll the dough in a log shape. Use some flour, if the dough is sticking. Seal the dough log.

   

   

   

7. Lightly sprinkle some flour on both sides. Then using a knife or a pizza cutter, slice the dough from the middle. Then crisscross the two ends by twisting the dough like a braid. Transfer this dough braid into a loaf pan.
8. Brush the dough with some melted butter. Add some toppings (like sesame. seeds, parmesan cheese, etc.). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cover the dough until the oven preheats. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is brown & let it cool for 10-20 minutes before serving.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How to store Braided Pesto Babka?

You can store Babka at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. You can also store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Before using, defrost for a couple of hours. Then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Why is my Braided Pesto Babka dry?

Babka is an easy bread that doesn't require much kneading. Sometimes when you knead the dough for too long, the bread may turn dry. So the best way to make babka is to knead until flour & yeast are lightly combined and it forms like a dough.

Why is my Braided Pesto Babka not rising?

Babka is made using yeast and that helps in raising the dough and making it soft. So if the dough of Babka is not rising that may be because yeast is not activated. To activate the yeast properly, always use warm liquid. Also, mix honey or sugar with the liquid. Honey/sugar helps in activating the yeast quickly.

• GARLIC NAAN
• LENTIL STEW
• HOMEMADE BREAD BOWL
• FOCACCIA BREAD
• AMRITSARI KULCHE
• DINNER ROLLS
• TOMATO SOUP
• LENTIL SOUP