Apple Cinnamon Babka

The evening before baking, combine the wheat flour, water, and sourdough starter. Mix until a stiff dough forms and let it ferment overnight.

The following day, combine the wheat flour, milk, stiff starter, and sugar in a mixer. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.

After 5 minutes of mixing, add the eggs to the dough. Continue mixing until fully absorbed.

After another 5 minutes, begin adding the butter in two stages (half at a time), waiting 2–3 minutes between additions. Finally, add the salt and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Remove the dough from the mixer. Perform a series of slap and folds on a clean surface. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a greased plastic container.

Let the dough rest. Perform a coil fold after 30 minutes. If necessary, perform a second coil fold after another 30 minutes. Total bulk fermentation time is approximately 2 hours.

Roast the hazelnuts, then chop them manually or briefly pulse in a mixer. Sauté sliced apples in butter. Optionally deglaze with rum before adding the sugar and cinnamon. Cook until tender and set aside to cool.

Spread the dough out into a rectangle. Distribute the apple mixture and hazelnuts evenly over the surface. Roll the dough tightly and slice lengthwise to create two strands. Twist the strands together and place the loaf into a prepared loaf pan.

Place the loaf pan in a warm environment. Let it ferment for 4–6 hours until the dough has risen to approximately 2–3 cm below the rim of the pan.

Bake the loaf in two phases as detailed below.

After baking, remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool for at least one hour before slicing.