Imagine soft, buttery brioche dough, filled with a sweet almond mixture and sprinkled with flaked almonds and a touch of icing sugar. If you adore almond croissants, you absolutely must try making this recipe. It’s egg-free and can easily be made without dairy, perfect for all my vegan friends!
To start, we make a soft brioche dough enriched with butter, which we roll out into a rectangle. Our irresistible almond filling is crafted from ground almonds and almond butter, ensuring that delightful bakery flavor. After rolling the dough and braiding it, we generously sprinkle almond flakes on top. Baked to a golden perfection, the result is swirls of buttery brioche that capture the essence of an almond croissant.
Almond Croissant Babka
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup almond milk warm
- 1/4 cup dairy-free butter melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Almond Filling:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dairy-free butter softened
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup almond milk
For the Syrup:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large bowl, combine warm almond milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Add melted dairy-free butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix well.
- Gradually add bread flour, mixing until a dough forms. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Make the Almond Filling:
- In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, sugar, softened dairy-free butter, almond extract, and almond milk until well combined and smooth.
Assemble the Babka:
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread the almond filling evenly over the dough.
- Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log. Cut the log in half lengthwise, exposing the filling.
- Twist the two halves together, keeping the cut sides facing up, and then shape it into a loaf.
- Place the twisted loaf into a greased loaf pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Bake the Babka:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Brush the top of the babka with a little almond milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the babka is golden brown and cooked through.
Make the Syrup:
- While the babka is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Finish the Babka:
- Once the babka is done baking, remove it from the oven and immediately brush with the sugar syrup.
- Let the babka cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.