Handmade Brioche

I was once told that I wouldn’t be able to make Brioche very well by hand.  Of course whenever a person tells me that “I can’t”, I do my best to find out if “I can or can’t” on my own.

According to my CIA baking manual *babka is brioche with a filling (usually chocolate).  I did my own spin and also made one with lemon and sugar mixed with butter. The internet is full of various recipes for the dough, so I stuck to the traditional brioche method from the CIA manual.  I scaled the recipe down to 1/8th as I’m sure you won’t be wanting to make twelve loaves.  I felt satisfied making this with my bare hands, however I will welcome the day a Kitchen-aid mixer waltzes through my front door!

Printable recipe

Enjoy!

***Not so secret footnote:

*If you delve deep into my brain, everything in my life seems to relate to a song or a sitcom.

This post originated from a rather funny Seinfeld re-run which caused me to google “babka”.  Does everyone remember the episode where Elaine and Jerry sit for hours waiting in the bakery waiting for the cake?

Oooh, cinnamon babka?

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