Matcha & white chocolate babka

DIRECTIONS

• If you’re using DRY ACTIVE YEAST, skip to instruction number 2.
  If you’re using INSTANT YEAST, make the dough using a stand mixer with the dough hook. Put flour and yeast in the mixer’s bowl and mix with a fork. Add sugar, then turn mixer on medium-low speed and mix for a minute. Add eggs and milk and continue to mix on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes, until well incorporated. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the flour from the sides using a spatula and continue to mix. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, then add lemon zest and salt. With speed on medium-low and mix for 8 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides as needed. The dough is very soft, but don’t be tempted to add more flour into in.
  Skip to instruction number 3.
• If you’re using DRY ACTIVE YEAST you need to proof it first. Put ½ cup warm milk, the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar in a glass and stir briefly. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it visibly foams.
  To make the dough use a stand mixer with the dough hook. Put flour in the bowl and make a well in the center. To the well add yeast mixture, the rest of the sugar, eggs and the rest of the milk and mix for about 3 minutes on medium-low speed, until well incorporated. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the flour from the sides using a spatula and continue to mix. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, then add lemon zest and salt. Turn speed to medium-low and mix for 8 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides as needed. The dough is very soft, but don’t be tempted to add more flour into in.
• Remove bowl from stand mixer. Using a spatula, transfer dough into a lightly greased large bowl (I use Pam spray,) cover in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature, preferably in a warm space (near the oven, for example) until dough almost double in volume, about 1½ hours.
• In the meantime make the filling. Put ½ inch water In a saucepan and put a metal or glass bowl over it, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Bring water to boil over medium heat. Put chocolate, butter and matcha in the bowl over the boiling water and mix with a hand whisk or a spoon until chocolate has melted. Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 minutes until just warm.
• Grease two 11” x 5” loaf pans and line with parchment paper.
• Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin.
• Divide dough into 2 (the dough weighs about 3 pounds, so divide it into two 1½ pound portions). Working with one half, sprinkle dough with a little flour and roll into an approximately 18 inch by 20 inch rectangle.
• Spread half the filling all over using an icing spatula.
• Roll up dough jelly-roll style, starting with the long side. you’ll get a 20 inch long rope.
• Fold rope to half, then twist two halves around each other.
• Transfer to loaf pan. Cover with towel and let rise in a warm place in your kitchen for about 1 hour. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
• Oven to 325 F degrees. Brush babkas with beaten egg. Bake babka loafs for about 45 minutes, until golden-brown on top. It’s important not to over-bake the babkas, as they will dry on the inside. Touch the surface in the center of the babka to make sure it’s almost stable, but not completely firm.
• While babkas are baking, prepare the glazing. Put sugar, water and matcha in a saucepan, bring to boil, reduce to low simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool.
• Brush glazing over babkas, just as they come out of the oven. Do not soak them with the sugar syrup, just make sure the top is covered with it, which will help them stay moist. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least thirty minutes (if you can) before serving.