Blueberry Lemon Babka Bread

Dough Ingredients:

• 3 1/3 cup (530g) all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

• 3 tsp (10g) instant yeast

• 3/4 cup (175g) lukewarm water 

• 3 large eggs

• 10 Tbsp (150g) unsalted butter, room temp

• 3/4 tsp (3g) fine sea salt

• Neutral tasting oil for greasing

INSTRUCTIONS:

Blueberry Lemon Filling

• Gather all your ingredients and add them to a small pot.
• Bring the mixture to a boil while constantly stirring.
• Taste to see if it's sweet enough for your liking. Add more sugar if desired. Once the mixture is boiling, turn down the heat to med-low, and let it simmer for 10-20 minutes until it is very thick and jam-like. Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover, and let it cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge.

Method:

1. Add 3 teaspoons of yeast to ¾ cup of lukewarm water. Give a light stir and let bloom for 8 minutes.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all-purpose flour, sugar, fine sea salt. Give a mix by hand to make sure everything is incorporated.

3. With the stand mixer going at medium-low speed, add three whole eggs and the bloomed yeast. Let the mixer run until it begins to form a dough. Make sure to scrape down the sides throughout.

4. Once it forms a rough dough, add unsalted butter at room temperature a spoonful at a time until all of it is used. Keep the stand mixer going at medium-low speed.

5. Once all of the butter is added and the dough is cohesive, let the mizer run at medium-low speed for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is completely smooth.

6. Lightly oil a large bowl and add the dough directly to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

7. Lightly butter two general sized loaf pans (9x5). Dust with a light coating of flour.

8. Roll out cold dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

9. Divide dough into two and place one half of the dough in plastic and place back in the fridge to hold while you’re working with the first piece.

10. Shape dough into a disk and roll out into a square that’s ½ inch thick.

11. Spread half of your blueberry mixture over the entire surface of the dough, leaving around an inch border around the edges.

12. Once the blueberry mix has been spread well, brush the top of your dough with a little bit of water so it adheres when you roll it up.

13. Roll dough from the bottom all the way to the top. Take the cylinder and cut it in half lengthwise using a bread knife.

14. Take one end of the two rolls you have, pinch them together and fold them over each other mimicking a braid. Once you reach the end, pinch the two pieces together.

15. Place dough into one of your prepared loaf pans and cover it with a damp towel and let proof at room temperature for 1 ½ - 2 more hours or until it has doubled in size.

16. Place pans in an oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 celsius for 25-30 minutes or until they’re golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

17. While those are baking, combine water, sugar and lemon in a pot and bring it over medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Place to the side.

18. Remove loaves from the oven and immediately brush them with your  syrup.