Babka or brioche? My husband Pierre insists on calling this a brioche wreath. Wikipedia says babkas are traditionally used for Easter holidays in eastern European countries. In fact babka comes from the Polish word Baba for grandmother. And some researchers believe babka goes as far back to the Greek period of Homer based on anecdotal texts that mention sweet, yeast leavened bread similar to Babka. Brioche is a pastry (viennoiserie) with a high butter and egg content which gives it that tender butter rich crumb. It origins date back to the early 1400’s in France. In any case, I don’t want to bore you with a history lesson. You’re here for a guaranteed holiday showstopper that tastes amazing.
I fully admit that this recipe requires time and patience. Which is why it’s perfect for a special holiday like Christmas or Easter. Theres not much hands on prep time as there is time to wait for the dough to rise. 3 hours warm room temp or overnight in the fridge. Then another hour for the second rise. So if you came here looking for a quick treat, wrong recipe. This babka needs to be prepared in advance. But trust me it’s totally worth the wait.
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