Wild Garlic Babka Bread
Delicious wild garlic bread recipe, made in babka style with soft, buttery dough and wild garlic pesto.
EQUIPMENT
- 1 loaf baking pan
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g spelt flour
- 200 g wild garlic pesto
- 240 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 70 g butter
- 10 g dry yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
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INSTRUCTIONS
- First activate the yeast. In a small bowl or cup, mix lukewarm milk (or water) with a teaspoon of sugar. Stir in the dry yeast and leave it for a few minutes. It should turn foamy on top, that’s how you know it’s ready.
- Warm the remaining milk and melt the butter into it. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg, then pour in the warm milk and butter mixture.
- In another bowl, combine the spelt flour with a pinch of salt. Add the activated yeast to the wet ingredients, then gradually mix in the flour. Stir until everything comes together into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Now knead the dough until it becomes smooth. If you’re using a mixer, let it run with a dough hook for about 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, follow the same timing. Spelt flour is delicate, so don’t overwork it.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bowl, cover it, and leave it in a warm spot to rise for about 45 minutes, or until it has grown noticeably in size.
- Once risen, the dough should feel very soft and airy. At this point, preheat your oven to 175°C/347°F.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a large rectangle, about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick. Keep it as even as you can.
- Spread the wild garlic pesto evenly over the dough. Use a spatula and go generous with it, this is where the flavor comes from. If it feels too thin, blend in a few extra leaves to thicken it.
- Roll the dough up into a log. Keep it fairly tight so it holds together, but don’t press it too hard.
- Slice the log into two equal pieces with a sharp knife.
- Twist the pieces around each other and pinch the ends to seal. The layers of wild garlic pesto will show on top.
- Place the shaped dough into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased with olive oil. Tuck it at the ends if needed. Cover and let it rise again until slightly puffed then brush it with egg yolk mixed with a little water.
- Bake at 175°C / 347°F for about 55 minutes. After 15 minutes, loosely cover with parchment paper to protect the top from over-browning. The bread should come out golden with a lightly crisp crust. You can check the inside with a toothpick.
- Let it rest for a few minutes wrapped in a kitchen towel before slicing. Enjoy :)
NOTES
TIPS FOR A SOFT AND TASTY WILD GARLIC BREAD
Fresh wild garlic pesto makes the most delicious bread! The one you stored for winter will work, too, but a freshly made batch has a brighter aroma and stronger flavor.
Keep the pesto on the thicker side. If it feels too loose, blend in a few extra leaves so it spreads easily and stays in place when rolling.
Don’t be shy with the filling. As the bread bakes, the oil and cheese melt into the dough, giving it a rich, super-tasty texture that makes it hard to stop at one slice.
Take it easy with kneading. Spelt flour doesn’t need much, and its gluten is more delicate. Too much kneading can weaken the dough instead of helping it rise.
Roll the dough nice and snug. It helps with cutting and shaping, and makes twisting much smoother. Just don’t go too tight; the layers still need space to open as it bakes.
Use a sharp knife when cutting. The dough is soft, so a clean cut makes a difference. When slicing lengthwise, don’t cut all the way through; leave the bottom slightly connected. It makes twisting easier and helps when transferring the dough to the pan.
If the top starts browning too fast, cover it loosely with parchment paper. This keeps the exposed pesto from burning while the bread finishes baking.
STORAGE
Store the bread wrapped in foil, or in a covered container - it will last for up to 3 days.
Freeze it only when it's cooled to room temperature. It will stay well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you tried this recipe, let us know!
We’d love to hear how yours turned out! ❤️
NUTRITION
Serving: 198g | Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg