Big batch bread rarely happens in my house, except for today. More than giving away edible sweet gifts, I always prefer gifting a mix of sweet and savory items. Holiday season is a time were most people receive sweet treats and so I wanted to go on a savory side or at least add a savory item in my edible gifts. So today, I am sharing with you a big batch bread recipe.

You can use this bread dough and create whatever variation that you like. Make it savory like this one, of make it sweet and use chocolate spread, jam , cinnamon sugar or cooked fruits, the choice is yours. There is only one rule … save some for yourself before you give it all out 🙂

Homemade Bread is a Labor of Love

When it comes to savory edible gifts, my go to is homemade bread. Homemade bread is very personalize and a true labor of love especially a yeast bread. Yeast bread takes time to make, but for me it was always worth it and people really appreciate it. I think because 1.) It was delicious, 2.) It can be easten for breakfast, lunch or dinner and 3.) It is always good to have a break from sweet treats during the holiday season.

Make it Savory

When I mde this, I just finished making 2 boxes of charcuterie box. I have plenty of Italian cold cuts lefover and I was wondering where to use it. Luckily, I was meeting friends for a get together and I was thinking of what to gift them. They happen to like this kind of stuff which was perfect. I already knew I wanted to make a loaf bread with Jalapeno and Cheese as base ingredients. So for all these 3 variations (maybe 2 of you consider the main ingredients), the base filling will be the same, with tjust the addition of Italian cold cuts for one of the loaf. I made 2 of the loaves Babka style.

What is Babka?

So Babka.. Sounds ineresting or intimidtaing? Probably both if you haven’t tried making it. Th egood news it that it is not as difficult as it looks. It is a beautiful bread which could be intimidating at times, but it is not really that hard. Time consuming, maybe a bit as with the same of most yeast bread.

When I was browsing Pinterest, I came about a beautiful twisted chocolate bread called Babka. I thought, what is Babka? Is there something special about it aside from the name itself? I did a little bit of research and it turned out it is just a sweet bread with a filling inside, normally twisted and baked in a high loaf pan. So basically, it’s like cinnamon bread but shaped and filled with chocolate (most of the time). That made me feel comfortable and relax, and not intimidated anymore.

We fear what we do not know ..

The funny thing is I’ve already made this a log time ago I just did not know its called Babka. I call it Chocolate Swirl Bread, and the other times I used my Purple Yam Jam as filling for it and called it Purple Yam Loaf Bread. It’s the same idea, just different filling and shape. So I excitedly tackled Babka on a Saturday morning, unplanned and excited. I’m going to fill my kitchen with the smell of freshly baked bread and decadent chocolate filling, that was the plan. After all, what is better in a weekend than a homemade fresh bread that is loaded with chocolate? Sign me in!

Different Ways to Make Babka

There are different ways to make Babka.

• the traditional way is using a high loaf pan. The bread is filled with chocolate
• You can also make Babka without a loaf pan, a more free form style.
• Another option is to make it like a twisted ring, big or single serving.

Making Babka is a two process, that is making the sweet bread and making the filling. What we are making is a savory babka so the filling is just a simple mixture of grated cheese, basic spices and seasoning and cream cheese spread.

Shaping the Babka is the highlight of the process

One thing that makes Babka attractive it its layers and layers and swirl of chocolate filling that alternate the bread dough. On top of that, it’s twisted form has a charm that naturally attracts people who see it. The shape and the melting cheese filling made more attractive than a regular loaf bread, but also sometimes the reason why people tend to shy away from it. But believe me when I tell you it’s not that difficult. In fact, it’s fun making this bread, rolling it and twisting.

Shaping the Babka is the highlight of the process, and what people think as intimidating, but again it’s not. It is like braiding a bread, or twisting a rope, that easy. We are using both style. Braided Babka for the Italian Babka and Twisted Babka for the Jalapeno and Cheese.

This post is quite long because I wanted to share 3 ways I used t he bread dough. If you are only interested on the bread dough recipe, then go straight to the ingredients and instructions.

A Make-ahead/Overnight Dough

This bread dough can be made a day ahead. This will make the entire process easier in terms of time allocation. I made the dough a day ahead and store it in a greased bowl covered with a tight lid. Depending on how you intend to use the bread, you can keep it whole or divide it to portions you like. I divided the dough into 3 portions after the first rise. The cold temperature of the refrigerator will slow down the yeast from activating and prooffing the bread. Once you are ready to use, pre-heat the oven to 110F then turn it off as soon as it reaches the 110F. Leave the dough inside until warm enough to work with.

Bread Variation 1: Italian Braided Babka

This first variation is an Italian Braided Babka. 1 Portion of the dough for 1 variation of bread. The base cheese, seasonings and spices mix are the same for all the 3 variations we are making. This variation will have an additional cold cuts. You can use whatever cold cuts you like. Ham, Turkey, Bacon, etc. I used a 7-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. For this variation, I did a braided style to expose more of the filling. Full instructions are below in the instruction section.

Bread Variation 2: Jalapeno and Cheese Twisted Babka

This variation only uses the Jalapeno and Cheese filling, intended for someone who doesn’t like cold cuts. Most of the steps are similar but instead of cutting the dough into 3, we are only doing to. This one uses a twised style. Same 7-inch loaf pan was used for thisone.

Bread Variation 3: Italian Cheese Rolls

This variation is a roll style rather than a loaf. Similar with the Italian Babka but instead of baking in a loaf, we are making it into rolls.

8 Bread Rolls

The log should be about 8-inch long. This will make a decent size of 8 pieces. There are ways on how you can portion the bread into 8 but so far the cleanest way I had tried was to use a dental floss with teh help of a scissor to cut any excess part of the cold cuts.

Cutting the Rolls

You might be thinking, dental floss? Yes, dental floss. How and why does it works? Dental floss are very thin and yet strong thread. It is strong enough to cut the dough, althoug since this one have cold cuts, you will need scissor to help finish the cutting. Sometimes when it hits the cold cuts, it struggles a bit. Even with this small challenge, I still think using this method gives a cleaner cut.

I’ve used knife and bench scarpper before. Althoug they work, the bread tends to get squueze during cutting thus loosing the beautiful layers. You can try both method and decide for yourslef what works best for you.

Sweet or Savoury — Your Choice

If you want to make a sweet and savory variations, this dough is very versatile. There is no change needed for the dough, just choose the filling the you like. Below are few suggestions, but I am sure you can be more creative than this and come up with your own.

Other Filling Options

• Let’s start with, Chocolate! Chocolate spread is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of bread filling. This is a usual choice for making Babka and can also be used to make this rolls

• You can also use Frangipane which is basically Almond cream. I love this filling for a creamy delicious sweet rolls.
• Cinnamon Sugar + Raisins for a cinnamon roll variation. A very indulgent sweet roll frosting with icing suagr or cream cheese frosting
• Jam or Cooked Fruits for a fruity variations. I will leave some of my homemade jam and filling at the end of this post. Make sure to drain excess liquid if you are using homemade jam that are quite loose. Choose whatever makes you happy.

Tips in Making Babka

• Use High-Quality Ingredients: Opt for high-quality chocolate and cocoa powder for a richer flavor. Fresh, quality butter, flour, and yeast are also essential.
• Activate Your Yeast: Ensure your yeast is fresh and active. Proof it in warm water with a pinch of sugar until it becomes foamy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be inactive.
• Knead Properly: Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. This can take about 20minutes by hand or 15 minutes with a stand mixer. Proper kneading helps develop gluten, giving your babka a good structure.
• Let It Rise: Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size. This could take about 1-2 hours depending on the room temperature.
• Roll Out Evenly: When rolling out the dough, try to keep it as even as possible. This ensures that your chocolate filling will be distributed evenly throughout the loaf.
• Spread the Filling Generously: Don’t skimp on the chocolate filling! Spread it generously and evenly over the dough to ensure every bite has that delicious chocolate flavor. Generously but not too th epoint of spilling out the edges of the bread.
• Twisting and Shaping: When shaping the babka, twist the dough tightly to create those beautiful, swirled layers. If your dough is sticky, lightly flour your hands and work surface.
• Second Rise: After shaping, let the babka rise again in the loaf pan. This helps the bread become lighter and fluffier.
• Baking Temperature: Bake your babka at the recommended temperature (usually around 350°F/175°C) and keep an eye on it. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.
• Cooling: Let the babka cool in the pan for a bit before transferring it to a wire rack. This helps it set and makes it easier to slice.
• Store Properly: Store your babka in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days, or freeze it for longer storage.

Whether you use the bread dough for sweet or savory, the choice is yours. If you decide to give my savory variation a try, let me know how it goes. Let’s get baking!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons Full Fat Milk
• 2 tablespoons Flavorles Oil
• 2 Eggs – room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 50g granulated Sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 520g Bread Flour
• 46g softened unsalted Butter

Filling:

• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika Powder or Cayenne Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Basil
• 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Onion Flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 cup diced Jalapeño Peppers
• 150g White Cheddar Cheese
• 150g Marble Cheddar Cheese

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 Egg – Beaten
• 1 teaspoon Water – you can use powdered milk diluted in water

Instructions:

• Activate the Yeast: Microwave the milk for 20- 25 seconds until lukewarm but NOT hot, aim for 110F. If you have a baking thermometer, use it as it is the best way to be sure of the temperature. Hot milk will kill the yeast and the bread will not rise properly. Transfer milk in bowl of stand mixer and add 1/2 tsp of the granulated sugar and stir. Add the yeast and let rest for 10 minutes until mixture is foamy. If the mixture did not become foamy, either the yeast is old or the milk is too hot. Do NOT proceed until corrected, otherwise you will end up with a tough dense bread
• Add Wet Ingredients: Add remaining sugar (3 tbsp) and egg to the yeast mixture.
• Add Dry Ingredients: Followed by the flour and salt.
• Knead the Dough (Speed 2) Using the paddle attachment, mix for about 30 seconds just to bring the mixture together. Replace with the dough/hook attachment and knead for 15 minutes (KitchenAid Speed 2). If the dough is too dry, add 1/2 teaspoon of milk until it reach a smooth, soft and elastic texture. The side of the bowl should be clean, while the dough is slightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl.
• Add the softened butter and knead for another 15 minutes. When you add the butter, you will notice the dough will break apart and it will look like it is too wet. Do not panic, this is expected. Continue mixing (even if longer than 15 minutes) until the dough comes together completely (it will), the side of the bowl is clean and the dough is slightly sticking at the bottom of the bowl. Do not stop mixing until you get to this stage. It takes time to fully incorporate the butter to the flour mixture, be patient.
  • To Check: The dough should be smooth, soft, elastic and slightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl
• Mix the seasonings, cheese and spices.

• Rest 60 minutes: Remove the dough and form into a ball. Transfer into a greased bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap and rest 60 minutes before shaping.

Babka Shaping Steps:

• Shape and Arrange: 
  • Lightly push the dough down with the heel of the palm of your hands roll the dough. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a 8 x 17-inch rectangle. Use the loaf pan as a guide or use a ruler.
  • Spead softened or cubed cream cheese
  • Arrange 6 pieces (or more if desired) of Italian cold cuts
  • Sprinkle the mixture of cheese and spices, followed by the chopped jalapeno
  • Starting from the end closer to you, start rolling into a log shape. Gently push the dough and roll till the end.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 3 sections leaving at least 1-inch of the top intact
  • Braid the dough as shown in the photos.

• Transfer in a parchment lined 7-inch loaf pan pan and let rest for 60 minutes or until the bread puff-up. This could take 60 – 90 minutes depending on the temperature in where you leave it to rest.
• To help the dough rise better,Pre-heat the oven to 110F then turn it off. Let rest inside the pre-heated ove.
  • DO NOT forget to stop it, you only want the oven to warm up for the dough to rise, you do not want to dough to be baked. Some oven has a proofing setting, mine doesn’t, so this is my trick.

Rolls Shaping Steps:

• Once shaped in an 8 inch log, cut into 8 individual pieces. I used a dental floss and scissor/knife to cut the bread. Watch the short video to see I did it.
• Transfer in a parchment lined baking tray and let rest for 60 minutes or until the bread puff-up. This could take 60 – 90 minutes depending on the temperature in where you leave it to rest.
• To help the dough rise better,Pre-heat the oven to 110F then turn it off. Let rest inside the pre-heated ove.

• Prepare the egg wash by mixing 1 egg + 1 tsp water then brush the bread . Brush the top of the bread.
• Bake at 350F
  • For the Babka Loaf: Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center no longer wet.
  • For the Rolls: Bake 13 – 15 minutes
• Leave the berad in the pan for 10 minutes once out of the oven and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Homemade Bread From Scratch Video:

Other Sweet Filling Options:

• Raspberry Jam
• [VIDEO] Mango Filling
• Blackberry Jam
• [VIDEO] Peach Pie Filling
• Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
• Blueberry Jam
• [VIDEO] Pineapple Filling
• Strawberry Jam
• [VIDEO] Chocolate Hummus
• [VIDEO] Apple Filling

Featured Posts:

• Ancient Grains Honey Oats Bread
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