I am a huge fan of Babka and Pesto so I decided to pair the two and might I add it was fabulous. The bread is soft and buttery and the pesto balances that with it’s earthy flavor. It is easy to make and so worth it. I love the pop of green Pesto adds in the bread.

Have it just as it or in a sandwich. I baked some brie on it & that was delicious! It pairs perfectly with cheese, with soup or even just as it is.

Happy Baking!

Servings: 1 9 inch loaf

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

Rest Time: 2-3 hours

Bake Time: 30-40 mins

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups/ 275g AP Flour

• 1.5 Tsp Active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup/ 118g Lukewarm milk (about 110F)

• 1 egg Yolk+ 1 egg for egg wash

• 1/4 cup/ 50g Sugar

• 1 Tsp Salt

• 1/2 Tsp Pepper

• 5Tbsp/70g Butter (I like using Good European Butter like Kerrygold)

• 8-10oz Pesto

Equipments:

• Stand mixer with a dough hook.

Directions: 

• In a bowl, add yeast and luke warm milk and whisk it together.

• Let it stand for 5 minutes.

• Add the egg and mix it in.

• Add the flour and start kneading on a low speed.

• Add the sugar, salt & pepper and knead it in.

• Knead of medium speed for 3-4 minutes.

• Add the butter 1 tbsp at a time and knead it in for 7-8 minutes.

• If it is still very sticky and does not hold its shape, add 1-2 tbsp more flour and knead in.

• Knead for 3-5 minutes on high speed. The dough will be soft & sticky but holds its shape.

• Transfer to a greased bowl, cover and rest/proof it for 1-2 hours. Check notes for proofing tips.

• Tip the dough on a well floured surface.

• Sprinkle flour on top of the dough.

• Roll the dough into a rectangle. Use your hands to stretch/shape it.

• Pour pesto on top of the dough.

• Spread it all over the dough, leaving 1/2 inch on each side.

• Roll the dough into a log from the short end.

• Cut the dough halfway through to form to logs.

• Twirl the dough around each other to form one log.

• Place it in a well greased loaf pan.

• Cover and let it proof for 1-2 hours. Check notes for proofing tips.

• Egg wash- In a bowl, whisk an egg, 1 tbsp of water, a pinch of salt & pepper.

• Brush egg wash on the proofed dough surface.

• Bake at 350F for 30-40 mins.

• The bread should be brown and baked through. Check Notes.

• Let it cool for 5 mins and then un-mould.

• Slice & serve!

Notes / Tips

• Do not add salt directly to the yeast mixture.

• The dough should be kneaded enough to help form gluten. If you are using your hand to knead, knead for 5-7 mins longer than mentioned.

• The dough is sticky when kneaded together, it does become less sticky with resting.

• Flour the surface well so it does not stick.

• Proofing the dough in the oven is very helpful if it is not hot & humid. For proofing doughs need a temperature of about 95-100F and high humidity.

• Fold the dough in tight turns so you have more swirls in the bread.

• You can also use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, which will be 185º F when the loaf is finished.

• My basil pesto recipe is here.

• If you want to make two loaves, double the recipe and use 1 full egg instead of 2 yolks.

Proofing options- If it is hot & humid, keep the dough covered in a greased bowl and it will rise well.

If the weather conditions are not favourable, turn the oven on to the lowest temp, around 150F. Turn it off when it comes to temperature. Leave the oven door a little opened for 10-15 minutes so the temp comes down to 90-100F which is ideal for proofing bread. Place the dough covered along with a jug of hot water in the oven and keep the oven closed.