Figgy pudding babka wreath
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 50 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Figgy pudding babka wreath
Twisted with a spiced fig filling, this centrepiece makes a delicious breakfast. A stand mixer makes light work of the dough, or get stuck into some slightly sticky kneading by hand!
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 50 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (serving)
Calories
644Kcal
Fat
29gr
Saturates
18gr
Carbs
86gr
Sugars
39gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
10gr
Salt
0.9gr
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Ingredients
For the brioche dough
- 170g unsalted butter
- 170ml whole milk, plus extra to brush
- 570g strong white bread flour, plus extra to dust
- 3 tsp fast action dried yeast
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
For the filling
- 150g salted butter, softened
- 1 x 250g pack SO Organic soft dried figs, roughly chopped
- zest of 1 orange
- 3 tsp mixed spice
- 2 tsp plain flour
- 100g dark brown soft sugar
For the glaze
- 50g icing sugar
- zest of 1 orange, plus juice of 1/2
Step by step
- For the dough, melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Remove from the heat and add the milk (weighed as 170g for accuracy). Cool until it feels just slightly warm.
- Fit a stand mixer with a dough hook. Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into the bowl and mix to combine. Add the buttery milk, followed by the beaten eggs, mixing on a low speed to a very soft dough. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes (or 10 minutes on a clean work surface by hand) until it forms a clean ball with no sticky residue on the sides of the bowl (or work surface), but it still feels sticky to the touch. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and leave to prove for 2-3 hours or until it has grown by at least half again in size.
- Knock the dough back, briefly knead, then cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour until firm. Meanwhile, for the filling, put all the ingredients in a food processor and whiz to a fudge-like paste, then set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 and put your largest baking tray in to heat up. On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to a large 35cm x 70cm rectangle. Dollop over the fig mixture, then use a palette knife to spread it thinly and evenly across the dough, leaving a 2cm border all around. Roll up tightly like a Swiss roll, working from a long edge. Trim the ends, then lift onto a large sheet of baking paper. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll in half lengthways and turn the two halves upright so the filling is exposed. Twist together into a spiral, then join the ends to form a wreath shape. Slide onto the preheated tray. Brush the wreath with milk, then bake for 45-50 minutes until risen, golden brown, and cooked through. Cover with foil for the last 15-20 minutes, if necessary. Cool completely on the tray, then transfer to a serving board.
- For the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then stir in enough orange juice to make a runny icing (about 4 teaspoons). Brush all over the cooled babka, then scatter with the orange zest. Tie the wreath with a ribbon for an extra finishing touch. Best eaten freshly baked.
