Food Recipes

Pizza & Pesto Babka Buns

Pesto & Pizza Babka Buns

Fun to Make & Delicious when Served Warm!

Pizza & Pesto

Ingredients

For the buns

  • 240ml milk                                            
  • 500g plain flour                                   
  • 10g dried active yeast                                      
  • 30g sugar                                                           
  • 2 tsp salt                                                             
  • 1 egg                                                   
  • 1 egg yolk                                           
  • 50g butter (cubed, at room temperature)
  • Egg wash (as needed)

For the green pesto filling:

  • 100g green pesto (strain to remove some oil)                                                             
  • 100g grated mozzarella                   
  • Ground black pepper (as needed)

 For the red pesto pizza filling:

  • 100g red pesto (strain to remove some oil)                                  
  • 30g pepperoni slices (roughly chopped)       
  • 30g sundried tomatoes (finely chopped)      
  • 30g black olives (roughly chopped)               
  • 100g grated mozzarella (grated)    
  • ½ tsp dried oregano                                        
  • Ground black pepper (as needed)

Method

  1. Line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper.
  2. Attach the larger bowl to the machine
  3. Fit the spiral dough tool
  4. Add the milk into a small saucepan, place over a medium heat until warm.
  5. Remove from the heat and transfer the liquid into a jug.
  6. Add the flour, yeast and sugar salt to the mixer bowl, fit the splash guard.
  7. Start the machine on speed 1 for 20 seconds until combined
  8. Start the machine on speed 1, whilst the machine is running slowly add the warm milk and continue
  9. Add the egg and egg yolk
  10. Mix on speed 1 for 2 minutes
  11. Continue mixing on speed 1, gradually add the butter to the mixer bowl
  12. Mix on speed 1 for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and homogenous.
  13. Remove the bowl from the machine, cover with cling film and allow to prove in a warm place for 1 hour.
  14. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, flatten out the dough.
  15. Divide the dough into 12 pieces (76 grams each).
  16. Form each piece into a tight ball.
  17. For the pesto buns, roll six pieces into 5x3 inch rectangles
  18. Spread the pesto, grated mozzarella and black pepper evenly over the bread, leaving a 1/4-inch gap around the edge.
  19. Roll up the rectangles tightly from the long end into log shapes, then pinch all the seams and ends to seal.
  20. Slice the dough in half lengthwise with a sharp knife, leaving a join at the top.
  21. Twist the two lengths together, keeping the filling side up as you twist.
  22. Stretch the braid into 10-inch/25cm length.
  23. Bring both ends together, overlapping them and creating a hole in the middle.
  24. Bring one end into the hole and pinch it together with the other end at the bottom.
  25. Place on a baking tray.
  26. Cover loosely with greased cling film, allow to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  27. For the red pesto pizza buns, attach the smaller bowl to the machine, fit the K-beater.
  28. Add the pesto, chopped pepperoni, chopped sundried tomatoes, chopped black olives, grated mozzarella, oregano, black pepper into the mixer bowl.
  29. Start the machine on speed 1 and increase to speed 3 for 20 seconds until a paste has formed
  30. Form the remaining buns, roll the remaining six pieces into 5x3 inch rectangles
  31. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch gap around the edge.
  32. Roll up the rectangles tightly from the long end into log shapes, then pinch all the seams and ends to seal.
  33. Slice the dough in half lengthwise with a sharp knife, leaving a join at the top.
  34. Twist the two lengths together, keeping the filling side up as you twist.
  35. Stretch the braid into 10-inch/25cm length.
  36. Bring both ends together, overlapping them and creating a hole in the middle.
  37. Bring one end into the hole and pinch it together with the other end at the bottom.
  38. Place on a baking tray.
  39. Cover loosely with greased cling film, allow to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  40. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
  41. Remove the cling film and brush the buns with egg wash.
  42. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
  43. Serve warm.
Dylan Farrugia Crosscraft Malta
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