Method
Warm the milk so it’s warm, but not scalding. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the yeast. Stirt to dissolve and leave until frothy (ten minutes).Add the eggs, sugar, honey, salt and flour and knead until you have a firm not sticky dough.
Gradually add the butter one cube at a time, incorporating it into the dough before adding the next, until you have smooth shiny dough. Cover the bowl in cling film and prove in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours.
To make the filling, beat the butter, sugar, and spices until light and fluffy and set aside. Finely chop the sugared ginger and add to mixed fruit.
When the dough has proofed and the filling is ready, take the dough out and on a surface lightly dusted with flour and roll out to a large rectangle about 40 by 60 cm. Spread the filling all over and scatter the fruit on top.
Roll the babka from the longer side and cut down the middle. Pinch the top together and twist the two sausages into a braid. Fold in half and place into a loaf tin, and allow to prove for another hour.
Heat the oven to 150°C. Bake the babka for 70 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven once golden and brush the Opies Stem Ginger syrup all over the top. Remove from the tin and enjoy.
Ingredients
for the dough:
100 ml whole milk, warmed
7 grams active dry yeast
2 large eggs
30 grams brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
450 grams strong bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp salt
160 grams unsalted butter, cubed
for the filling:
150 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
50 grams caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
100g mixed fruit and peel
25g Opies stem sugared ginger
For the glaze
1 tbsp Opies Stem Ginger Syrup
