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a slice of poppyseed babka.
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Poppy Seed Babka Recipe

A sweet yeast dough filled with poppy filling and shaped into a twisted log.
Course Dessert
Cuisine jewish
Keyword Poppy Seed Babka
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 24 Slices
Author Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

For The Dough

For The Filling

  • 2 Cups Whole Poppy seeds (300g)
  • 1 Cup Powdered sugar (120g)
  • 2 Tablespoons Flour (14g)
  • 2 Large Eggs cold
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted butter, slightly cold (113g)

For The Syrup

  • 3/4 Cup Sugar (150g)
  • 3/4 Cup Water (180ml)
  • Orange ring from one orange

Instructions

Make the dough

  • The dough needs 90-120 minutes of resting time for the first rise.
    To make the dough the night before, reduce the amount of yeast to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and set it at room temperature for one hour, then refrigerate overnight.

Make the Poppy Seed Filling

  • Measure the ingredients in a food processor and process until a smooth paste is formed.
  • Transfer the paste to a medium bowl and set aside until it is time to shape the babka.

Shape and Bake the babka

  • Grease and line with parchment paper two eight, or nine-inch loaf pans.
  • Divide the dough into two equal parts, each about 480g.
  • Roll each part over a floured surface into a 12x14-inch rectangle.
  • Using an offset spatula, spread half of the filling over the top of the dough.
  • Roll the dough from the long end into a spiral log.
  • Use a sharp knife to slice the log at the center vertically.
  • Twist the two parts around each other into a twisted log.
  • Gently lift the log and place it in the prepared pan.
  • Repeat this with the second part of the dough, and brush the top of the loaves with the egg yolk.
  • Set aside in a warm place to rest for the second rise, 90-120 minutes.
  • Bake for 35-38 minutes at 350F (180C) until deep golden brown and the inner temperature is 190-200F (88-94C)

Make the Syrup

  • While the babka is baking, make the syrup up to two days ahead. Refrigerate until use.
  • Measure the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Brush or drizzle the syrup over the babkas while warm. It is best if the syrup is cold.

Notes

  • Always use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients—90% of baking mishaps stem from inaccurate measurements.
  • Chill the dough first. It’s a very soft dough, and shaping it can get a bit messy (which is perfectly okay!). Giving it a 30-minute chill before handling will make shaping much easier.
  • For a flavor boost, sprinkle chopped white chocolate over the poppy seed filling.
  • This recipe makes two eight- or 9-inch babka loaves, perfect for sharing or slicing. Each loaf yields 10-15 slices, depending on the size. Alternatively, one large babka ring baked in a large tube pan yields 18-24 slices, depending on the size.
  • Add a one teaspoon of almond ectrat, or 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the filling for a flavor boost.