Moist and fluffy vegan hazelnut lemon babka, with a rich buttery dough and swirls of homemade gooey date caramel. This recipe is very easy to make with simple baking ingredients. The result is an incredibly soft brioche, with a beautiful golden and crisp crust. It’s the perfect bread to bake for a cozy breakfast or your weekend brunch.

What is babka?

Even if you haven’t had the chance to try babka yet, you’ve probably already seen this beautiful braided loaf in bakeries or in coffee shops. Indeed, babka has become very popular and trendy in recent years, and can now be easily found nearly everywhere, in bakeries and grocery stores.

Babka is a sweet braided bread originated from the Polish Jewish community in the early 19th century. Babka means “grandmother”, which is said to refer to grandmothers who used to make this recipe from leftover challah bread after Shabbat. It generally consists of a soft brioche dough that’s usually braided, and commonly filled with chocolate spread, fruits or cinnamon. It’s often brushed with a sugar syrup to bring extra moisture and this shiny finish. At the end, it is very similar to cinnamon rolls in texture and flavor, but with a different shape.

But what make babka so special? Well, you must to try it to understand! While the recipe is pretty simple and similar to many other breads, babka differs from its incredibly soft and fluffy dough, beautiful golden color, and its melty gooey filling. Nothing you’ve ever tried before.

Ingredients you need to make vegan hazelnut lemon babka

Traditional babka is not vegan as it often uses butter and eggs. But the good news is that babka is very easy to make vegan at home! In this vegan hazelnut lemon babka, butter is replaced with olive oil and the eggs can just be omitted by adjusting the quantities of the other ingredients. The result is a super simple recipe, with the minium ingredients, no weird ingredients or egg replacers.

To make vegan hazelnut lemon babka, you need:

• All-purpose flour – plain flour or white bread flour. Bread flour will give the babka a slightly more chewy texture but both work. I don’t have a gluten free option for now, but you might try with a gluten free flour mix, special for breads and brioches.
• Instant active yeast – the dry fast active yeast you can find in all grocery stores. Instant active yeast doesn’t need to be activated before baking with it, so you can directly mix it with the flour. If you use another type of yeast like fresh yeast, please search to the right conversion to substitute.
• Coconut sugar – I like coconut sugar as it has a lower glycemic index than most of the other sugars, meaning it won’t spike your blood glucose.
• Non-dairy milk – soy milk is the best for this recipe, but you can also use almond or oat. Milks like coconut will give a strong flavor to the babka.
• Olive oil -in this recipe we use olive oil instead of butter, because the flavor goes very well with hazelnut and lemon. Use good quality wiring olive oil.
• Dry dates – they are the main component of the caramel filling. I strongly recommend to use Medjool dates, which are especially soft, juicy and sweet. Alternatively, or if your dates are too dry, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes before to use.
• Coconut milk – for a very smooth and creamy caramel filling, use full-fat coconut milk or cream made with at least 80% of coconut.
• Ground cinnamon – we use cinnamon in the dough and in the filling (cause there is not a good babka without cinnamon, am I right?) Use natural ground cinnamon.
• Vanilla – we use a little of vanilla extract to flavor the filling. Preferably use natural vanilla extract to avoid artificial flavors.
• Flaky sea salt – don’t omit it! Flaky sea salt is the magic ingredient that brings the filling this so special and delicious salted caramel-like flavor!
• Lemon zest – lemon zest incorporated in the dough will develop its flavor during the resting time, while we sprinkle extra zest on top of the filling for a fresh and zingy touch. Make sure to use organic lemon.
• Roasted hazelnuts – chopped roasted hazelnuts bring crunchiness and this delicious nutty flavor we love in babka! I recommend to use roasted hazelnuts that have a more intense taste.

How to make vegan hazelnut lemon babka

Now that you have all your ingredients on hand, it’s time to make this hazelnut lemon babka! If you’ve never made babka before, don’t be afraid and simply follow the following steps. I know baking bread at home for the first time can be very intimidating, but you’ll see there is nothing complicated and once you start you’ll never be able to do without it!

Make the babka dough

The first step to make vegan hazelnut lemon babka is to prepare the dough.

Place the flour, sugar, yeast, sugar, ground cinnamon and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix to combine.

Add the lukewarm milk, olive oil and lemon zest, and mix to form a rough dough. The milk should be warm but not too hot, slightly under 100 degrees F (37°C) not to kill the yeast.

Using a stand mixer, mix with the hook accessory until the dough is smooth, elastic and pull away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. If your dough is sticky, simply add 1 tablespoon of flour. If your dough is dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk and knead until it’s combined. This can takes up to 6-8 minutes to achieve the right consistency.

If you’re not using a stand mixer, start mixing the dough with a spatula until roughly combined. Then transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed with your hand for at least 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and silky.

Once you’ve kneaded the dough, form a loose ball and place it into a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a clean slightly damp towel. The moisture in the tea towel will help to prevent the dough from drying out.

Place the bowl in a warm place. If you live in a hot climate, you can just leave it on your countertop. But if you live in a colder climate, place the bowl near a heater or in the oven with the light on.

Leave the dough to rest for 60 to 90 minutes, until it doubles in size.

Make the caramel hazelnut and lemon filling

While the dough is resting, prepare the caramel that you gonna spread on the babka dough.

Soak the pitted dates in warm water for 20 minutes to soften. It’s very important that your dates are vey soft to get a smooth and creamy caramel. I recommend to use Medjool dates, a naturally smooth, juicy and sweet variety. But you can use any other variety of date, just make sur to soak them to soften before using.

Drain the dates and add in a high-speed blender together with coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon and flaky salt. Blend until it is perfectly smooth and creamy, and no chunks remain.

Pour the mixture into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. When it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes until the caramel is thick and brown. Whisk constantly to avoid the caramel to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

Remove from heat, add the lemon zest and half of the hazelnuts roughly chopped. Set aside.

Shaping vegan hazelnut lemon babka

Now, this is the funny and slightly messy part! Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer to a lightly flour surface and roll it out to a rectangle about 25 cm x 35 cm / 9 x 13 in. Adjust the dimension of the rectangle according of the size of your loaf tin. The short side of the rectangle should be just a little longer than your loaf tin.

Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about 1 cm on the edges. Sprinkle over the remaining chopped hazelnut and press them down gently.

Starting from the long side, use your two hands to tightly roll the dough into a log. Then use a sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise, exposing the filling upward. You’ll then have two strips of dough.

Starting at one end, pinch the ends of the two strips together. Then twist the two halves together into a braid, filling always facing upward. Pinch together again at the end to secure the braid.

Grease an approximately 25 cm x 11 cm / 9 x 5 in loaf tin and line it with baking paper. Again, adjust the size of the tin if you want to make a bigger or small babka. Place the braid in the loaf tin, gently squishing it to fit if need be. Don’t worry if the braid looks a little “damage”, the dough will rise again and take its original shape.

Cover the loaf tin with a towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 30-40 minutes. The babka should about double in size.

Baking vegan hazelnut lemon babka

Last step before you can enjoy a moist and fluffy vegan hazelnut lemon babka is to bake it! I recommend to bake this babka at 340°F / 170°C instead of the classic 350°F / 180°C. I found that a higher temperature browns and dry the surface too quickly, resulting in a very colored top and underdone center of the dough. Babka is a pretty tall loaf so you want the heat to get right in the middle for an even baking.

Bake the babka for 40 to 45 minutes or until it is beautifully golden brown on top. To check the baking,  insert a toothpick or a knife into the middle and pull it out. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. If the outside of your babka is browning too fast during the baking, turn down the oven to 320°F (160°C) and cover with a piece of aluminium foil. 

Make the syrup

While the babka is baking, you’ll need to make a syrup to brush over top of it. This syrup is very easy to make with only two ingredients: maple syrup and no dairy milk – I used almond but you can use soy, oat or coconut as well, in the same proportions. As soon as the babka is done and taken out of the oven, brush it generously with this syrup. This syrup is necessary to achieve that glossy sheen on top and adds plenty of moisture to help the babka to keep longer.

How to store vegan hazelnut lemon babka

As with most homemade breads, this vegan hazelnut lemon babka is best eaten on the day it is baked, while it is still moist and soft in the middle. The glaze syrup on top helps to keep the babka moist for a few days, but it will tend to dry pretty quickly.

Leftovers stored in an airtight container at room temperature can be kept for up to 3 days. Make sure the babka has cooled completely before storing. Don’t slice the babka before storing to avoid to dry too fast, and keep it as moist as possible. Don’t store in fridge to avoid humidity that can cause the development of mold. Before serving, cut a slice of babka and warm it up gently.

Freezer friendly

Like any other bread, babka freeze very well. Wrap the whole babka in a few layers of plastic wrap, and then wrap it in a layer of tin foil and put it in freezer. It’ll keep for up to a month this way. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and take it out of the plastic wrap. Heat in oven for 6-8 minutes before serving.

Tips to make the perfect vegan hazelnut lemon babka

• For the best results, I highly recommend to use the metric measurements in grams, with a digital scale, rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are handy but not accurate enough for baking.
• Check the best-before date of your yeast before using. Yeast is a living thing and has a limited time of life. An old yeast might no longer be active, and can explain that the dough doesn’t rise.
• Instant active yeast doesn’t need to be activated. However you can use fresh yeast as well. In this case you’ll need to activate it before to add to the dough. Sprinkle the yeast to a small bowl of warm milk with a punch of sugar. Stir and leave for a few minutes until bubbles form.
• Bake your babka at 340°F / 170°C instead of the classic 350°F / 180°C. I found that a higher temperature browns and dry the surface too quickly, resulting in a very colored top and underdone center of the dough.
• Don’t skip the syrup! It is very easy to make and is very important to get that final glossy sheen and helps to keep the babka moist for a few days.
• Wait for the babka to cool completely before slicing it.

You might also love these vegan bread recipes:

• Apple Cinnamon loaf with Maple dressing (GF)
• Caramel Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls sheet pan
• Gluten Free Pumpkin bread (GF)
• Moist and fluffy Vegan Banana Bread (GF)
• Chocolate Carob loaf with Tahini frosting (GF)
• Chocolate mini loaf cakes (GF)

I love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me @alicepages on your photos on Instagram and give your feedback in the comments below if you make this recipe at home! Your opinion is my best reward.

Vegan Caramel Hazelnut Lemon Babka

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• Author: Alice Pagès
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Rise Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Bread
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: Baking
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Moist and fluffy vegan hazelnut lemon babka with a buttery dough and swirls of homemade date caramel. Easy to make with simple ingredients, incredibly soft, satisfying and delicious! Perfect for a cozy breakfast or your weekend brunch.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Babka dough

• 350 g all-purpose flour
• 7 g instant active yeast
• 60 g coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 200 ml non-dairy milk (such as almond or soy) lukewarm
• 65 g olive oil
• Zest from 1/2 lemon

Caramel hazelnut lemon filling

• 240 g pitted dry dates (about 12 dates)
• 120 g full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt
• 60 g roasted hazelnuts 
• Zest from 1/2 lemon

Syrup

• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

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Instructions

Babka dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon and salt. 
2. Add the lukewarm milk, olive oil and lemon zest, and mix to form a rough dough. The milk should be warm but not too hot, slightly under 100 degrees F (37°C) not to kill the yeast. If using a stand mixer, mix with the hook accessory until the dough is smooth, elastic and not sticky. If not using a stand mixer, start mixing the dough with a spatula until combined. Then transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed for about 10 minutes until smooth.
3. Form a loose ball with the dough and place it into a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a clean damp towel and leave it in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, until the dough doubles in size.

Caramel hazelnut lemon filling

1. Meanwhile prepare the filling. Soak the pitted dates in warm water for 20 minutes to soften. It’s very important that they are very soft for a smooth caramel.
2. Drain the dates and add in a high-speed blender together with coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon and flaky salt. Blend until it is perfectly smooth and creamy.
3. Pour the filling into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until the caramel is thick and brown. 
4. Remove from heat and add the lemon zest and half of the hazelnuts roughly chopped. Set aside.

Shaping the babka

1. Once the dough has doubled, transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a rectangle about 25 cm x 35 cm / 9 x 13 in, so that the short side is just a little longer than your loaf tin.
2. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle over the remaining chopped hazelnut and press them down gently.
3. Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise, exposing the filling upward.
4. Starting at one end, pinch the ends together, then twist the two halves together into a braid, filling facing upward. Pinch together again at the end.  
5. Grease an approximately 25 cm x 11 cm / 9 x 5 in loaf tin and line it with baking paper. Place the braid in the loaf tin, gently squishing it to fit if need be.
6. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for about 30-40 minutes.

Baking the babka

1. When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 340 degrees F (170°C).
2. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If the outside is browning too fast, turn down the oven to 320 degrees F (160°C) and cover the babka with a piece of aluminium foil. 
3. While the babka is baking, prepare the syrup by mixing together milk and maple syrup in a small bowl.
4. Remove the babka from the oven and immediately brush generously with the syrup. Leave the babka to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing.

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Notes

1. The babka is best enjoyed the same day. Alternatively, store leftovers it an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
2. It’s important that the dates are vey soft to get a smooth and creamy caramel. I recommend to use Medjool dates, a naturally smooth, juicy and sweet variety. Alternatively, soak the dates in hot water for 20 minutes before using to soften.
3. The baking time can vary depending on your oven and the size of your pan. To make sure the babka is baked, insert a toothpick or a knife into the middle and pull it out. If it comes out clean, it’s ready.

Recette version française

Babka vegan aux Noisettes et au citron

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• Author: Alice Pagès
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Temps de repos: 2 heures
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 3 heures 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 parts 1x
• Category: Gâteaux
• Method: Four
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Une brioche tressée moelleuse, généreuse et 100% végétale? C’est possible avec cette babka aux noisettes et au citron, garnie d’un caramel de datte maison onctueux. Parfaite pour un petit-déjeuner gourmand et réconfortant.

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Ingredients

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Pâte à babka

• 350 g de farine de blé blanche type 55
• 7 g de levure boulangère sèche
• 60 g de sucre de coco (ou de sucre de canne)
• 1 cuillère à c. de cannelle moulue
• 1/2 cuillère à c. de sel fin
• 200 ml de lait végétal tiède (amande ou soja)
• 65 g d’huile d’olive
• Le zeste d’un demi citron

Garniture caramel noisette et citron

• 240 g de dattes sèches dénoyautées (environ 12 dattes)
• 120 g de lait de coco entier (au moins 80% de teneur en coco)
• 1 cuillère à c. d’extrait de vanille
• 1/2 cuillère à c. de cannelle moulue
• 1/4 cuillère à c. de fleur de sel
• 60 g de noisettes torréfiées 
• Le zeste d’un demi citron 

Dorure

• 2 cuillères à s. de lait végétal
• 2 cuillères à s. de sirop d’érable

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Instructions

Pâte à babka

1. Mélanger la farine, la levure, le sucre de coco, la cannelle et le sel dans un grand saladier ou le bol d’un robot pâtissier.
2. Ajouter la lait tiède, l’huile d’olive et le zeste de citron. Le lait doit être chaud mais pas brulant, légèrement en dessous de 37°C, pour activer la levure sans la tuer.
3. Avec un robot pâtissier, pétrir avec l’accessoire crochet jusqu’à obtenir une pâte lisse, élastique et non-collante. Pour un pétrissage à la main, commencer par mélanger la pâte avec une spatule pour incorporer grossièrement les ingrédients. Puis transférer la pâte sur un plan de travail légèrement fariné et pétrir pendant environ 10 minutes, jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit bien lisse. 
4. Former une boule et la déposer dans un saladier huilé. Recouvrir la pâte d’un torchon légèrement humide, et laisser  reposer dans un endroit chaud pendant environ 1h – 1h30, ou jusqu’à ce que la pâte double de volume.

Garniture caramel noisette et citron

1. Pendant ce temps, préparer la garniture. Faire tremper les dattes dénoyautées dans de l’eau chaude pendant 20 minutes pour les attendrir.
2. Egoutter, puis placer les dattes dans le bol d’un blender avec le lait de cocon la vanille, la cannelle et la fleur de sel. Mixer jusqu’à obtenir un mélange lisse et onctueux.
3. Verser la préparation dans une petite casserole et porter à ébullition. Puis réduire à feu doux et laisser mijoter pendant 2 minutes en remuant constamment, jusqu’à ce que le caramel épaississe et brunisse.
4. Retirer le caramel du feu, ajouter le zeste de citron et la moitié des noisettes finement concassées. Réserver.

Façonnage de la babka

1. Quand pâte a doublé de volume, la déposer sur un plan de travail légèrement fariné. A l’aide d’un rouleau à patisserie, abaisser la pâte en un rectangle de dimension environ 25 cm x 35 cm. Le côté le plus court du rectangle doit faire environ la taille du moule. 
2. Etaler le caramel uniformément sur toute la surface de la pâte en laissant 1 cm vide sur les bords, et garnir avec le restant de noisettes grossièrement concassées.
3. Rouler la pâte dans le sens de la largeur en la maintenant fermement avec les mains pour former un long rouleau. A l’aide d’un couteau bien aiguisé, fendre le rouleau en deux dans le sens de la longueur.
4. Mettre les deux moitiés ainsi obtenues côte à côte, faces coupées vers le haut. Pincer les deux extrémités, puis tresser les deux brins en les faisant passer successivement l’un par-dessus l’autre.
5. Huiler et chemiser de papier cuisson un moule à cake de dimension environ 25 cm x 11 cm. Déposer la babka dans le moule en la compressant délicatement si besoin.
6. Couvrir avec un linge propre et laisser reposer dans un endroit chaud pendant 30 à 40 minutes.

Cuisson de la babka

1. Préchauffer le four à 170°C.
2. Enfourner la babka pendant 35 – 40 minutes, jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit bien dorée en surface. Vérifier la cuisson à coeur en plantant un cure-dent ou la pointe d’un couteau au centre, si il ressort propre alors c’est cuit. Si la babka commence à trop brunir en cours de cuisson, baisser la température du four à 160°C et couvrir le moule avec un morceau de papier aluminium, et prolonger la cuisson.
3. Pendant ce temps, préparer la dorure en mélangeant le lait végétal et le sirop d’érable dans un petit bol.
4. Une fois la babka cuite, retirer le moule du four et badigeonner immédiatement la babka de dorure. Laisser la babka refroidir dans le moule pendant 20 minutes, puis démouler et laisser refroidir complètement sur une grille avant de couper des parts.

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Notes

1. Cette brioche sèche relativement vite, il est donc conseillé de la consommer rapidement, le jour même ou le lendemain, pour profiter de tout son moelleux. Sinon, elle se conserve jusqu’à 3 jours, non tranchées, dans un récipient hermétique à température ambiante.
2. Pour réaliser un caramel onctueux, il est important d’utiliser des dattes bien tendres. Je recommande d’utiliser des dattes de la variété Medjool, tendres, juteuse et sucrées. A défaut, faites tremper les dattes dans de l’eau chaude pendant 20 minutes pour les attendrir avant de les utiliser.
3. Le temps de cuisson peut varier en fonction de votre four et de la dimension du moule. Pour vérifier la cuisson, plantez puis retirez un cure dent ou la pointe d’un couteau au milieu de la babka. Si il ressort propre et sans bouts de pâte, alors la babka est cuite. Sinon, prolongez la cuisson de 5 – 10 minutes avant de vérifier de nouveau.