Figs and Miso Chocolate Milk Bread Babka, an Asian-inspired recipe by Kat Lieu and Subtle Asian Baking — Phil and Mama (2024)

For the yudane

• 30 g bread flour
• 30 g boiling hot water

For the milk bread

• 175 warmed milk, to 110F
• 8 g active dry yeast
• 350 g bread flour
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, about 50 g
• a pinch of salt
• 30 g butter, softened

For the miso chocolate filling

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 90 g heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons/ 1/2 stick/ about 56 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon white or red miso
• splash of vanilla extract, optional
• about 85 to 90 g semi-sweet or bitter sweet, high quality baker's chocolate, chopped

For the figs syrup

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• a few fresh figs, sliced in half
• a splash of vanilla extract, optional

Make the yudane

1. In a small bowl, add the yudane ingredients and mix until a sticky and cohesive dough forms. Cover and set aside for now.

Make the milk bread dough

1. In another small bowl, add the warmed milk, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. If using instant yeast, skip this step. Let the active dry yeast come alive for a few minutes in the warmed milk.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add all the milk bread dough ingredients, except the butter, the yudane, and the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for a few minutes until an elastic dough forms. Cover and rest for 20 minutes. Then add the butter and mix on low speed for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until a smooth, elastic dough form. This is a wet dough, but if it is too wet to work with, add a little flour. Once your dough is smooth and elastic, cover and let rest for 60 minutes in warm room temperature.

Make the filling

1. Meanwhile, make the filling by adding all the filling ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook and mix until you get a smooth mixture and all the chocolate and butter have melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. You want it to thicken and cool into a spreadable paste. If it's too liquidy when you spread it over the dough, it will leak out.

Assemble the milk bread babka

1. Grease a loaf pan.
2. Deflate the dough (you can punch it to release air). Roll it into a large rectangle about 15 x 9 inches. I like to just put the dough on a large cutting board and roll it out to the size of a cutting board. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Store leftover filling and use it as a spread, like Nutella. Use the filling within a few days.
3. Roll (coil) a long side of the dough into a thin and tight jelly roll. It should be about 15 inches long. If the roll feels too soft to work with, you can freeze it uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice in half lengthwise to expose the chocolate filling.
4. Pinch in the edges and braid the two halves together. Place in the prepared pan and allow the babka to curl around itself if too long.
5. Proof for 60 minutes, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.
6. About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350F.

Make the figs syrup

1. Add the figs syrup ingredients to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until all the sugar dissolves and the liquid thickens a little. Remove from heat and set aside for now.

Bake the babka

1. You can add some of the syrupy figs on top of the babka before baking. Bake the babka for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden brown. A delicious chocolate aroma will fill your kitchen. Take the loaf pan out of the oven and generously brush the babka with the syrup.
2. Allow to cool a bit, slice, and enjoy. You can add more of the premade chocolate sauce if you'd like.

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