Twisted Carrot Babka (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Dough Base

01 - 1 standard packet (2¼ teaspoons) of active dry yeast
02 - 2/3 cup whole milk, warmed to 110ºF
03 - 4-5 cups all-purpose flour, keep extra for dusting
04 - 3 eggs, keep at room temperature
05 - ¾ cup white sugar
06 - ½ teaspoon salt (kosher preferred)
07 - 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, softened and cut up
08 - Light oil (like grapeseed, sunflower, or veggie) for greasing

→ Filling with Carrot Cake Flavors

09 - Brown sugar, 1½ cups
10 - Shredded carrots, dried really well, 1½ cups
11 - 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground
12 - 4 tablespoons butter, soft
13 - ½ teaspoon salt
14 - ½ teaspoon cloves (ground)
15 - ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
16 - ½ tablespoon cinnamon
17 - 1 egg white (save the yolk for your glaze)
18 - 1½ cups roughly chopped toasted walnuts
19 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
20 - Ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon

→ Cardamom-Infused Cream Cheese Topping

21 - Powdered sugar, 1 cup
22 - Softened butter (113g)
23 - Ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon
24 - Cream cheese, 113g
25 - 1-2 tablespoons of milk, adjust as needed

# Instructions:

01 - Mix the active yeast, warmed milk (110ºF), and just 2 teaspoons of sugar in a big bowl. Stir it up and wait around 10 minutes until it's bubbly and frothy. If it doesn't foam up, either the yeast isn't doing its thing or the milk's too hot or cold. Fix it and start again.
02 - Dump 4 cups of flour and your remaining sugar into the yeast mixture. Stir to bring it all together. Crack in the eggs, one at a time, while mixing on low using a hook attachment (or mix by hand with a wooden spoon). Stop when the dough starts holding together, which should take about 2 minutes.
03 - While mixing on slow, sprinkle in the salt, followed by softened butter cubes a little at a time. Turn the speed up to medium. Let it run for about 8 to 10 minutes until the dough looks glossy, smooth, and slightly tacky. You might need to scrape down the bowl and add tiny bits of flour if it's too sticky.
04 - Grease a large bowl lightly with oil. Pop the dough inside, cover it with plastic wrap, and leave it in the fridge for 12-24 hours to rise slowly. Want to speed it up? Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1½-2 hours instead, until it doubles in size.
05 - Toss the carrots into a food processor to finely chop them after making sure they're well-dried. Drain off any extra liquid. If you're adding walnuts directly, pulse them with the carrots, or keep them separate. Add the sugar, flour, spices, butter, and egg white. Blend until you get a paste. You can make this filling early and store it for up to three days.
06 - Cut your dough into two halves. Take one half, roll it into a rectangle around 16x12 inches. Give it time to warm if the fridge made it stiff. Spread half the filling across, leaving a slim border. If the walnuts were saved, toss half over the filling now. Use a little water along one edge to help it seal.
07 - Roll the dough tight starting with the shorter end, making a 12-inch log. Put it on a baking sheet dusted with a bit of flour and move to the fridge for 30 minutes. Repeat for the second piece of dough.
08 - Oil down two 9x5-inch loaf pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. To make it fit nicely, outline the base of the pan on the parchment and cut that out.
09 - Cut your chilled dough logs lengthwise to reveal their insides. Lay the halves next to each other, cut-side up. Pinch the tops together, gently twisting the strips while keeping the insides exposed. Drop these twisted loaves into the prepared pans.
10 - Put some damp paper towels over the top and let the pans sit somewhere warm for about an hour so they can puff up more.
11 - While loaves rise, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Mix a bit of water with the unused egg yolk and brush over the loaves just before baking. Cook for 40-50 minutes, rotating them halfway through. If the tops are baking too quickly, throw some foil on lightly. They're done when the center hits 190ºF (use a thermometer).
12 - Once out of the oven, let them rest in the pans for about 15 minutes. Then move them to a rack to cool down completely.
13 - As the bread cools, use a mixer to blend softened butter with cream cheese till smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and cardamom. Pour in milk, just a little at a time, until it's thin enough to drizzle.
14 - Pour that sweet cream cheese drizzle all over the babkas. Slice and serve, or keep them fresh in an airtight container.

# Notes:

01 - Leave the dough chilling overnight, and the flavor will deepen wonderfully.
02 - Make sure every bit of moisture is patted dry from those carrots!
03 - Use a thermometer for perfect doneness—190ºF is your goal for the center.

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