Blueberry Lavender Babka

Super soft and rich brioche dough, filled with a homemade blueberry lavender compote and topped with simple sugar syrup. This blueberry lavender babka is everything you want in a yummy brunch or breakfast!

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Just in case you don’t know Babka or you’ve never been lucky enough to try a Babka before, let me introduce you to this delicious braided loaf. Babka is so popular in the States, it is a sweet braided bread that originated in the Eastern European Jewish communities in the early 19th century. The people would use leftover Challah dough and wrap it with flavors like chocolate or cinnamon, but nowadays babka is much richer and you can fill it with just about anything, sweet or savory!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe >

Ingredients Needed & Notes >

Equipment You’ll Need >

Step By Step Instructions >

Baking Tips >

Serving & Storage >

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) >

Recipe Card >

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BLUEBERRY LAVENDER BABKA

1. You’ll love this version with a homemade blueberry lavender compote.
2. It pairs excellently with a cup of coffee or tea.
3. You can eat it plain, with extra butter, or make blueberry lavender french toast.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES

Flour – This recipe uses 2 types of flour, all-purpose flour, and bread flour. I love combining these flour, the bread flour makes the babka chewier. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can replace the bread flour with all-purpose flour. If you are finding the dough will not pull away from the bowl, add 1 tablespoon up to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until the dough pulls away from the mixer bowl and is smooth.
Yeast – This recipe uses active dry yeast, but you can also use instant yeast and skip the rehydration process.
Sugar – Just a little bit of sugar mixed into the dough for a pleasant but subtle sweetness.
Salt – To balance the flavor.
Milk – You can use any type of milk, but whole milk is the best option. It adds fat to the dough and creates a richer taste and softer crumbs.
Egg – This help to emulsify the dough. The dough rises better with egg, creating large soft crumbs.
Butter – You can use either salted or unsalted butter. I prefer unsalted butter because I don’t want my buns taste too salty. If you use salted butter, I recommend skipping the salt.
Blueberries – It’s always best to use fresh blueberries, but if they’re not in season you can use frozen berries too. Fresh or frozen berries, both work perfectly in this recipe!
Lemon – It gives extra flavor and the lemon’s tang perfectly complements the blueberries. If you don’t have lemons, you can use orange juice or just water.
Lavender Buds – I use dried lavender buds, but you can also use lavender extract.

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

• Stand mixer
• 9×5 inch loaf pan
• Large bowl
• Medium bowl
• Rolling Pin
• Saucepan

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THIS BLUEBERRY LAVENDER BABKA

(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)

STEP 1 – Make the Dough

Cut cold butter into cubes, and set aside. Heat the milk until just warm, not hot. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and warm milk. Stir to combine and leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until foamy.

Add the bread flour, all-purpose flour, salt, eggs, and the remaining sugar to the yeast mixture, then mix with the dough hook attachment on low speed until just combined and a shaggy dough forms. Then add the butter cubes one piece at a time, and wait until it’s incorporated until adding the next piece. After all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer speed to medium speed and mix the dough for another 8 to 10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl, smooth, and elastic.

Flour your hands, remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and form the dough into a ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or cooking spray, and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 20 minutes then put it in the fridge to rise slowly overnight.

STEP 2 – Make the Blueberry Lavender Compote

You can make your own homemade Blueberry Lavender Compote or use your favorite store-bought compote. I suggest making your own compote, it’s easy and quick. All you need is to prepare the ingredients well, then combine everything in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until thick and jammy.

STEP 3 – Shape and Assemble

Lightly grease 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Let the excess hang over the sides to form a sling so you can easily lift the babka from the pan. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to a 12″ x 18″ rectangle, then evenly spread 1 cup of blueberry lavender filling over the surface of the dough. Starting with the long side, roll it up into a log, then wrap it with layers of plastic wrap and freeze for about 30 minutes. This will help to cut through the babka and help to shape the babka easily.

Once chilled, cut the log in half so that you have two 18″ pieces and the filling is exposed. Cross the pieces over each other, then carefully cross over two more times creating a long twist. Tuck the twist ends under and place it into the loaf pan. Loosely cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until the dough springs back lightly when pressed. While the babka is proofing, preheat the oven to 350F

STEP 4 – Bake and Serve

Bake your babka for about 40 minutes until the top is golden brown. If you happen to have an instant read thermometer, you can check the thickest center part of your babka. When it’s done, the center should be between 185F – 200F.

Prepare the sugar syrup when the babka is in the oven. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, and boil for 1-2 minutes until all the sugars dissolve.
Remove the baked babka from the oven and immediately brush it with the sugar syrup. Allow to cool in pans for about 20 minutes then remove and transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST BLUEBERRY LAVENDER BABKA

1. Make sure your yeast is still active.
2. If the dough is too soft and sticking to the bowl after kneading, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the mixer bowl and smooth.
3. Rise the dough overnight in the fridge, and don’t skip chilling the dough. It makes the dough so much easier to roll and bend into shape.
4. If your babka browning too fast, you can loosely cover the top with aluminum foil.
5. Use an instant read thermometer to check if your babka is done baking. When it’s done, the center should be between 185F – 200F.

HOW TO SERVE AND STORE

I highly recommend enjoying this Blueberry Lavender Babka warm, fresh from the oven, or at least on the same day you bake them. It has the best texture and flavor on the first day.

If you want to keep it for later, place the babka in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days or longer if refrigerated.
You can also freeze the babka. Wrap the leftover babka in a layer of plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe container or a zip top bag . It will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour?

Yes, all-purpose flour can also make great bread. For this recipe, if your dough is still too soft you can add 1 tablespoon up to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until the dough pulls away from the mixer bowl and smooth.

Can I make this all in one day?

You can make this babka all in one day if you like, the dough needs to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature until it has doubled in size. But I recommend giving the dough a fridge rise overnight. It’s so much easier to roll it up into a tight log when the dough is cold.

Can I add other things to the filling?

Of course! You can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts, they pair well with blueberries.

How to tell when the dough is well-kneaded?

Take a small ball of the dough and stretch it into a thin sheet between your fingers. The dough will stretch into a thin film without breaking, and it must be thin enough to pass light through it.
If the dough quickly tears – you guessed it, keep kneading!

How do I know my babka is ready to go in the oven?

Apply a little oil or butter to your finger, and gently poke the dough. It should rise back slowly, if it quickly pops back leaving no mark at all it means it’s not ready. Give it a bit more time.

How to re-heat my babka?

To reheat the babka, preheat the oven to 350F, transfer to a baking sheet, and place it in the middle rack of your oven. Reheat for about 10 minutes.

Instant Yeast and Active Dry Yeast, What Is The Difference?

These two types of yeast can generally be used interchangeably, but Active Dry Yeast needs rehydration. Instant yeast can be mixed directly into dry ingredients, while active dry yeast must first be dissolved and rehydrated in warm water or milk until foamy.

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Happy Baking!