These babka buns require just two ingredients for the dough and are filled with sea salt flakes, dark chocolate and pistachios. Served warm out of the oven with honey butter, they make a simply delicious gluten-free treat that everyone will enjoy.
This recipe has been sitting in my 'recipes to make' list for a while now and since Autumn is quickly creeping up on us, I thought it would be a perfect time to finally make it!
These babka buns are lightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, but what makes them extra special is that honey butter on top. When warm, fresh out of the oven, the honey butter is brushed generously on top of them, melting right in to give them an extra depth of flavour. It's pretty magical.
Unlike traditional babka recipes, I made my dough using just two ingredients - gluten-free self-raising flour and coconut yogurt. This combination works like a charm when you want a quick, hassle-free dough because, let's be honest, sometimes we just don't have the time or the patience to make an OG dough from scratch, especially if you're like me and your food cravings require instant satisfaction!
As you can probably imagine, these Salted Dark Chocolate, Honey Butter & Pistachio Babka Buns don't have the same texture as bread, or Babka for that matter. They're not as fluffy as the real deal but they are a close enough alternative.
How to make the babka buns
FILLING & SLICING
Start by making the dark chocolate filling and then setting it aside to cool down and thicken.
Whilst you're waiting, make the dough, which will come together quite quickly. Roll it into a large ball and then portion it out into 2 separate pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle about 1 cm thick (you can use your hands to help shape them). Remember to dust the rolling pin with extra flour as the dough will be a little sticky.
Divide the filling equally between each piece of rolled out dough and spread, leaving a 1-1.5 cm gap along each of the edges. Gently roll the dough into a log shape, about 2 cm wide and 25 cm in length.
Use a knife to slice each log down the length of itself, leaving 2-2.5 cm of space at the top.
BRAIDING & FORMING
Next, it's time to braid the dough. Face the sliced sections upwards and starting from the space at the top and working downwards, begin interweaving the two strips, folding them over one another alternatively. Once you reach the bottom, pinch the ends together. Repeat the process for the other log.
The process of forming the logs into buns differs slightly from how you'd typically make babka buns. As the dough doesn't contain yeast or gluten, it won't rise or have much elasticity to it, so forming knots may be difficult. Instead, simply roll each piece of braided dough inwards to form a circle, starting from the top. Then, using the palms of your hands, gently press the outside of the buns to make sure they remain intact.
All that's left after that is to brush each bun with some almond milk and bake!
Let's talk ingredients
Gluten-free self-raising flour - used to give the buns their rise but can be substituted with the same amount of gluten-free plain flour with 1/4 tsp baking powder mixed in.
Coconut yoghurt - I like to use the brand Coyo as it's organic, super clean and has a great consistency. You can swap this out for Greek yogurt if you eat dairy.
Grass-fed butter & raw honey - if you've made some of my recipes before, you'll know I love grass-fed butter as it's richer in omega-3 and vitamin K2. It's mixed in with dark chocolate to make the filling for these buns, as well as the honey butter that's brushed on top. If you are vegan, you can swap the butter for vegan butter and replace the honey with maple syrup).
Dark chocolate - ensure it has a 70% or higher cocoa content. I love the brand Vivani.
Cacao powder - can be swapped for unsweetened cocoa powder.
Coconut sugar - I used coconut sugar to add some natural sweetness to the buns, but this can be swapped for brown sugar or caster sugar.
Pistachios - these are used in the filling, as well as on top of the babka buns. If you have a nut allergy, you can skip these out completely.
Salted Dark Chocolate, Honey Butter & Pistachio Babka Buns (gluten-free, eggless)
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the filling:
20g grass-fed butter
20g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
3 tsp coconut sugar
3 tsp raw cacao powder
5g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped (reserve some to top)
Sea salt flakes
For the dough:
110g gluten-free self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting)
120g coconut yoghurt
1 tbsp almond milk for glazing
For the honey butter:
20g grass-fed butter, room temperature
2 tsp organic raw honey
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan.
For the filling:
1. Add dark chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Once completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and use a whisk to mix in the coconut sugar and cacao powder. Set aside to cool down and thicken into a spreadable consistency.
For the dough & honey butter:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and yogurt. Once a dough begins to form, use your hands to shape it into a large ball.
2. Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured work surface and slice in half to create 2 separate pieces. Roll each piece into rectangles about 1 cm thick and 8 cm wide. Remember to add more flour if the dough becomes sticky.
3. Spread the filling onto each piece of rolled out dough, leaving a 1-1.5 cm gap along each of the edges. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and chopped pistachios. Gently roll the dough into a log shape, about 2 cm wide and 30 cm in length.
4. Using a knife, slice each log down the length of itself, leaving a 2-2.5 cm space at the top. Begin braiding the dough by interweaving the two strips and folding them over one another alternatively until you reach the bottom. When you reach the bottom, pinch both ends together. Repeat the process for the other log.
5. Roll each piece of braided dough inwards to form a circle/bun shape, starting from the space at the top. Then, using the palms of your hands, gently press the outside of each bun to ensure they hold together and there are no breakages.
6. Brush both buns with almond milk, transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
7. Whilst the babka buns are baking, make the honey butter by mixing together the butter and honey with a fork until light and fluffy.
8. Once cooked, remove the buns from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Generously brush the honey butter over the buns and top with extra pistachios.
I hope you love this recipe!
Love,
Sasha
