Salted caramel & macadamia Babka – Babka Zana

My love for babka started few years ago when I tried for the first time Jeffrey Cagnes’s recipe ”Chocolate & hazelnut Babka”. Since that time I didn’t stop.

If you have taken a look on instagram to have an idea of the best babka of the moment, you certainly know babka zana. I love their incredible creations and their improbable combinations of flavours.

Few days ago I have received their first book, an amazing book full of a wonderful sweet and savoury recipes. I have enjoyed baking from it, I couldn’t wait to give this “salted caramel & macadamia babka” a try, especially because the filling includes salted caramel and macadamia, my favourite nuts. And guess what, it was wonderful. A fluffy, rich brioche dough with an amazing salted caramel as a filling, and a crunchy macadamia everything in one bite. This babka has a super power to put a smile on your face from the first bite.

I have shared with you their ”Pistachio & orange blossom babka”, it was one of my favourites.

How to make this salted caramel & macadamia Babka ?

The babka dough :

Making babka has nothing complicated, in this recipe you’ll have to make the dough, the salted caramel and a simple syrup that you’ll pour over the baked rolls. 

You’ll first need to make the dough. In a stand mixer fitted with the hook, combine the flour, sugar and salt, add the egg then the yeast that you already dissolved in the warm milk 10 minutes before starting. Mix to bring everything into a dough. Then add the butter at room temperature, keep kneading until the butter is completely combined and the dough is smooth. Let it rest 2 hours or until the dough doubled in size.

The recipe calls for salted caramel, so how to make it ? :

In a small saucepan over a medium heat, put the caster sugar and wait until it melts and has a blond brown colour. Add the butter once incorporated add the hot cream, stir to make sure that all the caramel is smooth and all melted. Add the fleur de seul (or sea salt flakes). Set aside at room temperature.

Assembling the salted caramel & macadamia babka / rolls :

Roll the dough out into rectangles, spread the salted caramel over the dough and sprinkle the roasted and roughly chopped macadamia nuts, leaving a border around the edge. Roll the dough into a log and then seal the babka edges. Cut it lengthwise, cut side facing up, then twist the logs to form the babka braid, roll it into a snail shape. Cover the babka and leave to rise for one hour. Bake it at 180C (170C for me) for 15 to 20 minutes.

The syrup :

While the babka bakes, make the syrup. In a small pan, gently heat the sugar and the water, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush them generously with the syrup. 

Once baked, the rolls are topped with a teaspoon of salted caramel. I let you imagine how delicious it is.

To save yourself some time, you can make everything a day before, then roll, fill and bake the next day. Like any brioche the babka is better eaten same day of baking.