Gluten-Free Babka

Now, you can find my gluten-free babka recipe here. But what is babka anyway? Inspired by the great pictures of yeast plaits filled with berries or chocolate that look soft and fluffy, I really wanted to give it a try. Well, it’s not that easy when you have coeliac disease and can’t eat gluten.

I looked at some babka recipes and then tried to adapt them to a gluten-free babka version. I think my result is very tasty, but I honestly can’t say whether it really tastes like a traditional babka.

From my research, I know that babka, baba or bobka comes from Central/Eastern Europe and is traditionally eaten at Christmas or Easter. It is a sweet yeast cake that either has no filling but has a vanilla or chocolate icing. If the yeast cake is filled, it is usually made from berries, nuts or chocolate.

What do you think? Does my gluten-free babka deserve the title babka from the looks of it?

Gluten-free babka: How to roll it up and braid it

You could probably also make a classic plait from three strands. But I’ve never tried that. It’s easiest with two strands and it still looks really pretty. With the amount of filling specified in the recipe, it runs out a little when you roll it up. It will be a bit sticky, but the more filling there is, the juicier it will be after baking. I love the texture of the gluten-free babka once it’s baked, you can cut into it and see the ribbons of red filling all over.

Click on the link if you want to see how I baked my recipe: Gluten-free babka recipe video

Glutenfreier Babka

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Serves: 10 Prep Time: 15-20 Min Cooking Time: 30-40 Min 30-40 Min

Nutrition facts 200 calories 20 grams fat

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• 200 g frozen berries (I used frozen raspberries)
• 50 g sugar
• 18 g tapioca starch
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 Pkg. vanilla sugar
• 1 lemon zest + juice

Yeast dough

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 300 g lukewarm milk (not over 30°c)
• 1 Pkg. yeast (7g)
• 65 g sugar
• 70 g butter lukewarm
• 1 egg
• 500 g gluten-free yeast dough flour
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ tsp xanthan gum

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring all the filling ingredients to the boil while stirring and then leave to cool.
2. Mix the yeast with the milk and the tablespoon of sugar in a small starter dough and leave to stand for a while.
3. In a large bowl, knead the egg with the butter and sugar, flour, salt and xanthan gum and the starter dough until you can form a ball. Cover with a kitchen cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for approx. 60 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C with fan on.
5. Roll out the dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread the filling on the rolled-out dough and then roll up lengthways to form a log.
6. Now make a cut with a sharp knife and divide lengthwise in the middle. Leave a 2 cm of the short edge of the log without cut. That is the beginning of the plait. Now braid or twist the two open strands into a plait.
7. Grease a loaf tin with butter or line with baking paper and place the plait in it.
8. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

NOTES

Thank you for trying my recipe! Your Nele from travel + free ♥ ️