When I was growing up in Cyprus, the government used to offer free morning snacks to all primary school students. One of my favourites was tahinopita -tahini paste swirl-. It was sooo yummy and sooo fitting after struggling with maths and the multiplication table!Those swirls were comfort food for me but I think they were quite unhealthy too! You see they had a filling of tahini paste AND sugar but they were ALSO soaked in syrup? I mean who gives that to their child nowadays? Not only it’s not good for the child eating that much sugar but it’s not good for the parents too! Can you imagine the sugar rush?
To honour that tahini swirl, I have developed my own version of a tahini babka which is not overly sweet and it most definitely isn’t soaked in syrup!
Right, let’s get baking my darlings!
INGREDIENTS
Yields four babkas
For the dough
5 cups plain flour
14 gr yeast
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
For the filling
180 gr tahini paste
100 gr soft brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon powder
INSTRUCTIONS
For the dough
Step 1
Mix together the flour, yeast and salt. Add the warm water and knead using the hook attachment in the mixer. Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix together the oil, eggs and sugar. Mix them in the flour mixture and knead for 6 to 8 minutes. Oil a different bowl, add the dough, cover with clingfilm and let it rise for about two hours (depending where you live).
Step 2
When the dough has doubled in size, wet your hands with a bit of oil and wet your wok surface again with a bit of oil. Divide the dough in four same size balls.
Step 3
In a bowl, mix together the tahini paste, cinnamon and sugar.
Step 4
Take the first dough ball and roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin into an 18- by 10-inch rectangle and arrange with a long side nearest you. Spread the tahini paste mixture on all the surface and roll into a log starting with the long side farthest to you.
Step 5
Take a sharp knife and cut the log lengthwise in the middle. Braid the two pieces together and slowly twist them to form a ring, hiding the edges under the bun. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls and brush the top of the babkas with the remaining tahini paste mixture.
Step 6
Place them in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Let the babkas rise for another 1 to two hours loosely covered with cling film or a clean kitchen towel.
Step 7
Bake in a pre heated oven, at 190°C for 30-40 minutes.
Enjoy!
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