This Ube Halaya Babka updates the traditional recipe by using dairy free milk and butter and adding a little Filipino flare with a creamy Ube filling.

Babka

I've been low key obsessed with Babka since the "Dinner Party" Seinfeld episode from way back in 1994.  The forgot to get a ticket, so they were not technically in line and the couple before them got the last chocolate babka.  It meant that Jerry and Elaine had to get the cinnamon babka, which Elaine deemed the lesser babka.

When this episode aired, I was living in Australia going to University.  To ease the stress of studying I took up baking.  Obsessively.  One of the recipes I made was a chocolate babka.  I don't remember it being that good, only because I wasn't a good baker yet.

Now babka keeps coming up on my feed because of my friend Sam from Frosting and Fettuccine.  In my heart she is be babka queen, so I had to try her recipe.

Ube Halaya Babka

You know me, I have to put a little Filipino twist to it and ever since I got back from my vacation in the Philippines I've been wanting to make a healthier version of Ube Halaya.  I was actually going to make another recipe with it, but it made plenty so I thought I'll try Sam's babka recipe, but add my leftover ube to it.  I have to say it's so good.

So this weekend I made Ube Halaya Babka happen.

Dairy Free Ube Halaya

Ube Halaya is a hybrid fudge / jam that is made with ube.  Traditionally Ube Halaya is made with condensed and evaporated milk, sugar and lots of margarine.  I wanted to make it healthier by cutting the sugar and replacing the processed milk with just Ripple pea protein milk.  To sweeten it I just added a half cup of Simple Mills Vanilla Frosting.

Depending on how much you cook it down and how much milk you add to it, it can either thick and cut like fudge or made smoother so that it can be used as a spread.  This recipe is more like a spread so it's more spreadable.

Babka Dough

I used this babka recipe, but cut the portion in half and replaced the while milk with the Ripple Pea Protein Milk and used Miyoko Creamery Vegan Butter instead.

What I like to do is mix all the wet ingredients together, add the flour and salt and once it's been mixed a little bit add in the butter at the end.

It's a very nice soft dough that is easy to handle.  I prefer to let the dough rest for an hour on the counter to do the first rise and then roll it out about a 20x12 inch square and spread the Ube Halaya filling from end to end.

Then roll it into a tight roll and cut the dough in half.  Spread some of the leftover ube on one half and then lay the clean roll on top of it.  Tuck the ends under each other like they are hugging and place in a lined loaf tin.

This video shows how to roll out the dough and spread and shape it.

Serving the Babka

Bake the babka at 375F for 45 minutes.  You can leave the babka as is, or pour some thinned out Ube Halaya while the babka is still warm and decorate it with some sprinkles.  Leave to cool the glazed babka in the tin and then take out and let it cool overnight.

Don't be tempted to cut it while it's still warm as it will just be a big glooby mess.  Wait until the next morning and enjoy with some tea or coffee.

I hope you enjoyed this latest remix.  Let me know if you have any questions about the Ube or the Babka.  I am happy to answer all the questions.

Ube Halaya Babka

Recipe adapted from Frosting and Fettuccine.  This Ube Halaya Babka updates the traditional recipe by using dairy free milk and butter and adding a little Filipino flare with a creamy Ube filling.

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Prep Time: 2 hours hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Filipino, Jewish

Servings: 1 Loaf

Author: Rezel Kealoha

Ingredients

Ube Halaya

• ▢ 2 Pounds Frozen or Fresh Grated Ube
• ▢ ½ Cup Simple Mills Vanilla Frosting
• ▢ 2 Cups Ripple Pea Milk
• ▢ ½ Cup Coconut Sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Powder

Babka

• ▢ 2 Teaspoons Dry Active Yeast Red Star Yeast is the best I have used
• ▢ 100 g Ripple Pea Milk
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Coconut Sugar
• ▢ 1 Egg at Room Temperture
• ▢ 280 g Bread Flour
• ▢ 90 g Miyoko Vegan Butter at Room Temperature

Extras for the Glaze

• ▢ 1-2 Tablespoons Ripple Pea Milk
• ▢ Sprinkles

Instructions

Make the Ube Halaya

• Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until it's smooth.  It will be pretty loose at this stage.  Transfer to a large sauce pan and stir until it starts getting firm on low heat.  This will take about 20 minutes. 
  

  Once it starts getting thick transfer to a shallow dish and spread out to cool at room temperature.  Cover with some cling wrap and place in the fridge to harden.
  

Make the Babka Dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer add in the yeast, milk, sugar and egg.  Mix well.  Add in the bread flour and lightly mix with a wooden spoon until it starts forming little dough balls around the flour. 
  
• Add in all the butter and use the dough hook and mix the dough on low until the dough combines.
  
• Increase the speed and mix for about 4-5 minutes until the bowl is clean and the dough starts to form a nice soft ball around the hook.  When you hear a slight slapping sound the dough is done.
  
• Grease a new bowl with coconut oil and let the dough rest for an hour.  It should double in size.
  

Get the Ube Halaya Filling Ready

• Take half the Ube Halaya that you made and put it in the food processor to nice and smooth.  If necessary add more milk to make it spreadable a tablespoon at a time.  Set aside and leave at room temperature while the dough is resting. 
  

Shape the Babka

• Spray a 9 inch loaf pan with coconut oil and line with some parchment paper.
  
• Punch down the dough and then shape into a square.  Using a rolling pin roll out the dough to a 20x12 inch square.  Spread the room temperature Ube Halaya all over the dough right to the edges.
  
• Starting at the long end roll into a tight log.  Cut the log in half.  Spread more of the ube over one log and drape the other log on top.  Like in this video.
  
• Place in the prepared loaf pan and leave to rise for up to 2 hours covered with a tea towel.
  
• Pre-Heat oven to 375F and bake for 45 minutes. 
  
• You can leave the babka as is, or pour some thinned out Ube Halaya while the babka is still warm and decorate it with some sprinkles.

  Leave to cool the glazed babka in the tin and then take out and let it cool overnight.

  Don’t be tempted to cut it while it’s still warm as it will just be a big glooby mess. Wait until the next morning and enjoy with some tea or coffee.

Notes

• You can purchase frozen or fresh Ube from Filipino Grocery Stores like Seafood City. Alternatively you can also order some freeze dried Ube powder from Amazon.  Follow the directions to re-hydrate it and then cook as per the instructions in this recipe.
• To make the ube glaze, you might have some left over ube filling, just take the filling and keep adding some milk a teaspoon at a time until you are able to pour it over the babka. 

Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!