In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together milk, fresh yeast, vanilla extract, sugar and stir. Add flour, salt and butter and knead into a smooth dough.
If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl and doesn’t come together, add a tablespoon more flour at a time until it does, beating very well in between additions.
Butter a clean bowl, form the dough into a ball and roll it around in the bowl so all sides are buttered. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place (inside of a turned-off oven with the oven light on is good) until it puffs and rises, about 1 to 2 hours. It may not double in bulk but it should rise.
Meanwhile prepare the salted caramel; Bring sugar and 80 ml water to boil in a large saucepan over medium-low, stirring with a heatproof spatula until dissolved. Cook, swirling pot often but not stirring for 8–10 minutes. Remove caramel from heat and immediately stir in butter a piece at a time until smooth (be careful; mixture will sputter). Gradually stir in cream, then add the salt. Transfer caramel to a heatproof glass. Let cool until warm.
Pour caramel into cooled tart shell. Chill until caramel is set, at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 165 ºC and grease a loaf pan. Roll out the dough into a rectangle and spread the caramel filling up to the edge. Crush the pretzel and sprinkle them over the caramel. Roll up the dough tightly from the longer side. Then cut the dough roll in half lengthways with a bread knife and alternately place the halves on top of each other and screw them in so that the filling is always visible upwards. Put the braided dough in the prepared baking pan and let rise for approx. 1 hour.
Mix the egg yolk and whipped cream and brush the top of the babka with it. Bake in the preheated oven for approx. 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool and cut into slices for serving.
Preparing In The Kitchen
In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together milk, fresh yeast, vanilla extract, sugar and stir. Add flour, salt and butter and knead into a smooth dough.
If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl and doesn’t come together, add a tablespoon more flour at a time until it does, beating very well in between additions.
Butter a clean bowl, form the dough into a ball and roll it around in the bowl so all sides are buttered. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place (inside of a turned-off oven with the oven light on is good) until it puffs and rises, about 1 to 2 hours. It may not double in bulk but it should rise.
Meanwhile prepare the salted caramel; Bring sugar and 80 ml water to boil in a large saucepan over medium-low, stirring with a heatproof spatula until dissolved. Cook, swirling pot often but not stirring for 8–10 minutes. Remove caramel from heat and immediately stir in butter a piece at a time until smooth (be careful; mixture will sputter). Gradually stir in cream, then add the salt. Transfer caramel to a heatproof glass. Let cool until warm.
Pour caramel into cooled tart shell. Chill until caramel is set, at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 165 ºC and grease a loaf pan. Roll out the dough into a rectangle and spread the caramel filling up to the edge. Crush the pretzel and sprinkle them over the caramel. Roll up the dough tightly from the longer side. Then cut the dough roll in half lengthways with a bread knife and alternately place the halves on top of each other and screw them in so that the filling is always visible upwards. Put the braided dough in the prepared baking pan and let rise for approx. 1 hour.
Mix the egg yolk and whipped cream and brush the top of the babka with it. Bake in the preheated oven for approx. 25-30 minutes.
