Sweet Corn Babka

I don't know if you all are aware of this, but there is an American version of the Great Bristish Baking Show. It is filmed in the same tent, in the some quaint little English park as the English version. The judges are even the same!

The one big difference? The producers seem to love to highlight just how much Americans love corn. Seems to be a really weird ingredient to fixate on... Until I started brainstorming.

I have such fond memories of going to my grandparents' house in the summer for a family barbecue. There was always hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, and corn on the cob! There is truly nothing that can beat the taste of freshly picked, Midwestern corn slathered in butter alongside the smoky flavor of meat just off the grill.

This babka will bring you straight back to those summer barbecues in the backyard with friends and family.

Dough

1/2 Cup milk, warmed

2 1/2 Teaspoons instant yeast

1 Egg

1 Egg yolk

1/3 Cup granulated sugar

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1/3 Cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

7 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

Filling

1 3/4 Cups all purpose flour

1 Cup yellow cornmeal

2 Teaspoons baking powder

1 Teaspoon salt

1 1/4 Cups milk

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 Cup canola oil (or any flavorless oil)

1 Egg white

Topping

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 Cup honey

1 Teaspoon salt

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.

Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix in the flour and sweet corn until almost fully mixed. Add butter about 1 tablespoon at a time (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.

Prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix until combined.

Once the dough is done proofing, place on a floured surface and roll into a large rectangle. The dough should be as thin as you can get it. This ensures the most swirls inside the bread.

Using an offset spatula spread the filling over the dough in a thin layer. Starting on the edge closest to you begin to tightly roll the dough away from you until you run out of dough and are left with a log of dough. Pinch the ends together to ensure no filling leaks out while baking.

Grease an angel food cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Place the twisted babka in the angel food cake pan. Allow to rise for another half an hour while you make the topping.

Make the honey butter glaze by melting the butter and whisking in the honey until fully combined.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Brush with the honey butter glaze immediatley after you remove the loaf from the oven.