Bacon babka
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
This deceptively simple dish not only looks stunning, but it’s the perfect portable contribution for gatherings and picnics. Combining rich, smoky bacon lardons with caramelised red onion chutney and sharp cheddar cheese, all intertwined in a soft, buttery brioche dough, this savoury twist on a classic babka offers bold flavours and delicious comfort.
Author:DukesHill
Ingredients
2 x 220g balls Northern Dough brioche
- Flour, for dusting
- 16 rashers DukesHill dry-cured streaky bacon, sliced into small lardons
- 3 tbsp caramelised red onion chutney
-
50g strong cheddar, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- Crispy onions
Directions
Set the oven to 180c and grease a 900g loaf tin.
- Allow the dough to come up to room temperature. Fry the bacon lardons until golden brown.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the dough until it’s a thin rectangle. Spread the chutney all over it. Sprinkle half the bacon over the chutney before grating the cheese all over the top.
- To roll it up, tightly roll the dough starting with the long edge. Then carefully roll it up, so it sits on top of the seam. Use a spatula to lift the rolled-up dough onto a chopping board.
- Use a sharp chefs’ knife to slice the dough in half, lengthways. Place the two sides next to each other, cut-sides facing up. To twist the sides together, it’s easiest to start in the middle. Lift one side over the other so they cross in the middle. Now, twist the bottom half, before repeating the process with the top half - so the dough is intertwined like a two-sided plait.
- Use the spatula to lift the beautiful babka into the loaf tin. Cover with a clean tea-towel and leave in a warm place to prove for 1.5 hours. When doubled in size, brush with the beaten egg, sprinkle over the remaining bacon lardons and cover with foil before placing it in the centre of a pre-heated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes - the dough should reach 75c when probed with a thermometer.
- To serve, sprinkle with crispy onions before serving.
