Rainbow Babka Bread

Back on the bread kick! Specifically babka bread which I became a bit obsessed with making during quarantine. There's something about this yeasty swirled bread that I love.

 

The recipe is a really easy one for babka using flour, oil, quick rising yeast, vanilla, egg, honey and then food colorants/gels for the rainbow colors.

Once the dough comes together divide it into 6 equal pieces (or however many colors you want to use)

Mix by kneading until color is incorporated and let rise for 30-40 minutes or until doubled in size.

Roll all the dough out together into a rectangle shape - about 9X14 or so

I used a white chocolate spread and some crumbled graham crackers for the filling but you can use whatever you like.  Chocolate or Nutella would be great too.  Roll up from the longer end then cut all the way down the center for 2 smaller long "strands"

Wrap the "strands" around each other for that babka bread swirl.  There are lots of YouTube videos that have great tutorials too.  Let proof for another 30-40 minutes.

Pre-rise

Post-rise

After baking and brushed with some simple syrup

Fun inside and outside!

Baking babka bread is so relaxing to me for some reason - it must the kneading and then swirling of it! Make anything rainbow and that makes me even happier!   

I also made another rainbow babka bread previously but made the filling rainbow instead of the dough.

This was a fun filling for sure!

Which do you like better??

Babka Dough Recipe

1 package instant yeast

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/8 cup honey

1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup warm water

2-3 drops of 6 food gel colors

Directions:

• Mix yeast and warm water together and let sit for 5-10 mins
• Mix vanilla, oil, honey, egg, and salt together
• Add flour to bowl and add yeast mixture and mix until incorporated
• Add the other ingredients and mix until incorporated
• Turn out onto the counter and kneed until soft and pliable
• Divide dough into 6 equal pieces
• Add 2-3 drops of food gels; 1 color in each dough section; knead color into dough until uniform color throughout
• Combine colors loosly and cover and let proof until doubled in size
• Roll out to to 11X14 rectangle (save small portion for mummy eyes)
• Add filling and roll lengthwise into jelly roll
• Cut down center and twist each length around each other
• Add to loaf pan and let proof again for 30-40 minutes
• Bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature is 190 degrees (cover with foil if the top starts to brown)
• Add simple sugar syrup as glaze on top (optional) 
• See this video on how to roll out, cut, and shape babka dough

Filling

1 cup of white chocolate spread (or spread of your choice)

1/2 cup crumbled graham crackers

Simple sugar syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup of water

Heat water to boiling and add sugar until dissolved; let cool