These babka knots are filled with the sweet flavor of eggnog, perfect for the Christmas season. Serve them for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert for a tasty holiday celebration.
These mini eggnog babka twists are made from a dough that you would use for a small-sized loaf. You divide the dough into smaller pieces and cut and twist it into cute little individually-sized knots.
Now that eggnog is hitting the shelves of the grocery store, it's a great time to use it not only in your favorite holiday cocktail, but in recipes such as cookie bars, cheesecake, waffles, crème brûlée, and French toast.
If you like, you can even make your own, especially when it's not eggnog season. All you'll need is eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and sugar.
For an extra luxurious touch, make a brandy crème Anglaise for dunking pieces of these babka knots. You can make it up to four days in advance to have it ready for when you make these babka knots.
Ingredients in these Knots:
From the Pantry: Bread Flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt.
From the Refrigerator: Eggs and butter.
Flavorings: Nutmeg, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract.
Eggnog: You can use either store bought or homemade.
For the Crème Anglaise: Half and half, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla bean paste, salt, egg yolks, and brandy.
To Make these Knots:
First, combine all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix them with a Danish dough whisk or wooden spoon to bring everything together.
Then, with the dough hook, knead the dough on second speed for about 8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Let the dough rise until almost doubled, about 90 minutes.
Once the dough has risen, deflate it and divide it into six pieces, about 83 grams each, and follow the steps below:
Step 1: Roll the dough out into a 9 inch by 4 1/2 inch rectangle, spread it with butter and a mix of brown sugar and nutmeg.
Step 2: Roll up the dough into a log.
Step 3: Cut the dough in half lengthwise with a bench scraper.
Step 4: Cross the dough pieces in the center, cut side up, and then twist the pieces while keeping the cut sides up.
Finally, form the twists into a knot.
Let the knots rise until puffy, brush them with an egg wash and then bake them for about 20 minutes.
Note: You might get a bit of sugar and butter "leakage" onto the parchment paper both during the rising time and baking time. Don't panic. Your knots will be delicious.
This recipe can easily be doubled to make 12 babka knots.
To Make the Crème Anglaise:
First, heat the half and half and cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt over medium-low heat until just steaming.
Next, whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl. Add a little bit of the cream mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the egg yolks. Add a little bit more of the cream mixture and continue to whisk. Pour the eggs into the cream in the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. The mixture should be about 170 to 180 degrees F.
Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place the mixture into the refrigerator. When it is cold, stir in the brandy. You can keep this mixture in the fridge for up to four days.
If you end up with extra crème Anglaise, you can use it for drizzling on fruit, adding to iced coffee, or even making ice cream.
This month, the Bread Bakers are sharing recipes for dessert breads. I'm excited to share these babka knots and I know your dinner guests will love them.
If you like the challenge of yeasted cakes and dessert breads, be sure to try my yeasted pound cake, strawberry cinnamon roll cake, rum baba, cinnamon nut roll coffee cake, and lardy cake.
Bread Bakers Dessert Breads (both quick breads and yeasted breads):
- Eggnog Babka Knots by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Coconut Pandan Babka by A Messy Kitchen
- Gingerbread by Palatable Pastime
- Moist Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe with Crumble by Culinary Cam
- Sourdough Sweet Potato Loaf by Zesty South Indian Kitchen
- Sweet Cranberry Soda Bread by Food Lust people Love
- Eggless Oats Litchi Loaf by Sneha's Recipe
- Sourdough Zucchini Bread by A Day in the Life on the Farm
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
Eggnog Babka Knots
These babka knots are filled with the sweet flavor of eggnog, perfect for the Christmas season. Serve them for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert for a tasty holiday celebration.
Ingredients
- 255 grams (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons) bread flour
- 25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 2.25 grams (3/4 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 95 grams (1/3 cup) warm (100 degrees) eggnog
- 28 grams (2 tablespoons) water
- 3.5 grams (1 1/8 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 57 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, whisked with a pinch of salt and divided
- 9 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) vanilla bean paste
- 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 124 grams (1/2 cup plus one tablespoon packed) brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 29 grams (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
- 180 grams (3/4 cup) half and half
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) heavy cream
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 9 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons brandy
Instructions
- Add the flour, sugar, salt, eggnog, water, yeast, butter, 1/2 of the egg (25 grams), and vanillas to the bowl of a stand mixer, and stir with a Danish dough whisk or wooden spoon to just combine.
- Using the dough hook, knead the dough on second speed for 8 minutes, until the dough is elastic. Place the dough into an oiled bowl or dough rising bucket, cover, and let rise until almost doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 pieces, about 83 grams each. Roll each into a 9 inch by 4 1/2 inch rectangle. Spread each with 1 teaspoon of butter and then 1 1/2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture. Roll up the dough into a 9 inch log. Cut the dough, lengthwise, with a bench knife, and then cross each piece in the center. Twist each piece around each other to form a rope, keeping the cut side up, and then forming the rope into a knot. Place the knot on the parchment lined baking sheet. There should be 3 inches between each knot. Cover and let rise for about an hour.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the half egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the risen knots with the egg wash.
- Bake the babka knots for 17 to 20 minutes, until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the half and half and cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt over medium-low heat until just steaming.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl. Add a little bit of the hot half and half mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the egg yolks. Add a little bit more of the cream mixture and continue to whisk. Pour the eggs into the cream in the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. The mixture should be about 170 to 180 degrees F.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover the surface of the mixture with plastic wrap and place the mixture into the refrigerator. When it is cold, stir in the brandy. You can keep this mixture in the fridge for up to four days.
- Serve with the knots for dipping.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
524Fat (grams)
22 gSat. Fat (grams)
13 gCarbs (grams)
69 gFiber (grams)
1 gNet carbs
68 gSugar (grams)
37 gProtein (grams)
9 gCholesterol (grams)
154 mgAdapted from Bake From Scratch, Nov/Dec 2018.
