Sourdough Cinnamon Sugar Babka or Swirl Bread (Inspired by Brian Lagerstrom's and Maurizio Leo)

Cinnamon Sugar Babka

Swirl Style!

Babka Style!

I really wanted to make a cinnamon raisin swirl bread with my sourdough, but decided on a babka, as it is such a fun technique and it just looks really cool. 😁 I used a mix of Brian Lagerstrom's Cinnamon Babka recipe from YouTube, some of Maurizio Leo's technique (from "The Perfect Loaf" website and book), and added my own little spin (of course!). Mine didn't come out as beautiful as theirs but it still tastes so delicious. I will have to improve my rolling technique but it will do for now. 🤣

Cinnamon Sugar Babka

Ingredients:

Dough:

90 grams almond milk (you can use another type of milk if you wish)

65 grams coconut sugar

475 grams all purpose flour

150 grams of room temperature water (you may or may not need an additional 20 grams)

100 grams of ripe sourdough starter

14 grams sea salt

70 grams olive oil

Filling:

100 grams coconut sugar

10 grams ground cinnamon

2 grams salt

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the coconut sugar in the almond milk. 
2. Add in the flour, 150 grams water, sourdough starter, salt and olive oil and mix to combine with a strong spoon. Once the dough has somewhat come together and is shaggy, using a soaking wet hand, pinch and squeeze the dough together until it becomes more homogenous. 
3. Let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Then start bulk fermentation in the bowl. Start by doing one set of stretch and folds. Then let rest for 45 minutes.
5. Then do the 2nd set of stretch and folds. Let rest for 45 minutes.
6. Then do a coil fold or another set of stretch and folds. Let rest for 45 minutes again.
7. Then do the last set of coil folds and let rest on the counter for about 2 hours or until it has plumped up about 20-30%.
8. Cover the bowl completely with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight (about 12 hours).
9. Before you take out dough from the fridge, mix the filling ingredients in a small bowl until fully combined. 
10. Take your dough out of the fridge and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Start rolling until you have a rectangle that is about 10 inches by 15 inches.
11. Spread most of the filling (you wont end up using it all, unless you'd like to!) evenly on the dough leaving a 1/2 inch border without filling. 
12. Starting with the edge closest to you, start rolling the dough like a jelly roll until you get to the end. Pinch the edge to the roll so it is enclosed.
13. Place this roll on a parchment line sheet pan and put in the freezer for 15 minutes to get cold. This will help with cutting and shaping the dough.
14. Take the dough out of the freezer and place on a lightly floured counter.
15. Cut the dough down the middle lengthwise to show the long layers of filling and dough until you have two long pieces of dough.
16. Criss cross the two dough pieces in the middle to create an "X." 
17. Then rope the two pieces of dough one to three times above and below the middle. It will look like a roped dough like below:

Not my babka (I wish mine was that beautiful!"). It's Maurizio's from his website.
Source: The Perfect Loaf: "Sourdough Babka"

    18. Place the roped dough into a parchment lined standard loaf pan facing upwards.

    19. Cover completely with plastic wrap (but leave a little headspace for the dough to rise and not touch the plastic wrap) or put in a completely enclosed plastic bag. Let it proof on the counter for about 3 - 4 hours.

    20. Before the proofing time is over, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

    21. Once the oven is preheated, uncover the loaf of the plastic wrap or bag and place the loaf in the oven to bake for 40 - 45 minutes (mine took longer, about 55 - 60 minutes) or until the internal                temperature is about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. 

    22. Take the loaf out of the pan, still in its parchment, and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!!