Babka is made of a type of dough called enriched dough that makes the pastry the delightfully fluffy baked good we all love. Doughnuts are often made with the same kind of dough.
Babka can contain jelly and so do the traditional Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) that we eat on Hannukah. These babka sufganiyot are a delicious combination of the two pastries, with a blueberry and lemon filling that lightens up the fattiness from the frying oil.
Babka Dough
½ Cup milk, warmed
2 ½ Teaspoons instant yeast
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
¼ Cup sugar
½ Teaspoon kosher salt
2 Cups flour
7 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
Babka Filling
Blueberry Preserves
Lemon Zest
Whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and slightly pale in color. Whisk in warmed milk and yeast until combined.
Mix in the flour until almost fully mixed. Add butter (make sure it’s at room temperature!) and mix until incorporated. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.
Turn out the dough and knead for just a few minutes until very smooth. Transfer to a greased bowl and let rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours until doubled.
Punch the dough down and divide into 8-10 even balls. Take one of the balls and roll into an oval. Spread the blueberry preserves over the dough and sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest over the preserves.
Roll the dough towards yourself to create a log. Cut down the center of the log and twist together. Pinch the ends together to form a circle.
Complete with the other portions of dough. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a ducth oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook each doughnut for 3 minutes on each side. Take out of the oil and place on a wire rack to drain the excess oil. Toss in sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Serve immediately.
