I’m sure you love Babka which has chocolate or cinnamon filling in it with a cup of coffee in the morning. If you haven’t made Babka before, you might be thinking it is a bit difficult to shape, but it’s actually, quite simple and easy, and fun!

One day I wonder how I make Babka with black sesame paste because the black sesame flavour is very common in Japanese sweets. In Japan, we almost have every kind of sweet that has black sesame flavour. And the result was fantastic! I have made a Babka loaf version and a bun version, both were equally delicious but the bun version is easier and you don’t need a tin. Besides, this recipe uses Tangzhong which is a mixture of boiling water and flour instead of eggs, so these buns are perfectly vegan!

What is Tangzhong?

Tangzhong(湯種) is made by combining some hot water and about 30% of the flour in the recipe to gelatinize the gluten of the flour. This method makes baked goods keep soft and fresh for longer than a standard method. Now, making bread with Tangzhong is widely used in many countries, especially in Korea, Taiwan, and “Japan” where Tangzhong is invented. In Japan, Tangzhong is pronounced as “Yudane” and I don’t know why people outside Japan use the word Tangzhong, not Yudane to describe the roux.

Ingredients You will Need

For the Tangzhong

Strong bread Flour – You can use plain flour if you don’t have bread flour on your shelf.

Boiling water – Your water has to be over 80C (176F) to make a proper tangzhong.

For the Babka Dough

Plain flour – You can make your babka using only bread flour if you want but plain flour makes your buns more cakey.

Sugar – Any vegan sugar can be used to make the dough.

Salt – A little bit of sea salt makes a big difference in your baked goods!

Yeast – Active dry yeast and instant yeast are easy to use but you can use fresh yeast as well.

Water – Use lukewarm water that is about 40C (104F).

Plant-based milk – You can use any plant-based milk as long as it’s at room temperature.

Vegan butter – Vegetable shortening also works perfectly to make the dough.

For the Filling

Vegan butter – Use softened and unsalted vegan butter.

Sugar – Use your favourite vegan sugar.

Black sesame paste – You can make homemade black sesame paste if it’s not available in your area. Here is the recipe for black sesame paste.

How to make Black Sesame Paste

100g Black Sesame 1 tbsp Flavourless Oil

Put sesame and oil in a food processor.
Pulse them until becomes a smooth paste.
Scrape the sides if needed. It takes about 5-10 mins.

Step-by-Step Guide

For the Tangzhong

Combine the bread flour and boiling water in a small bowl until all the flour has been hydrated. Leave it for at least 30 minutes.

For the Dough

1 Put all the dry ingredients and the tangzhong you made earlier in a bowl and pour your milk in. Mix them with your hand until tangzhong has been thoroughly incorporated into the dough.

2 Add vegan butter to the dough and mix with your hand until the dough has been homogenized. You do not need to knead at all. Cover it with cling film or a damp towel, leave it for 2 hours or until double in size, then refrigerate it overnight. it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

To Assemble

1 Combine all the ingredients of the filling in a bowl and set aside.Transfer the chilled dough onto your floured surface and divide it into 8 pieces. If you want to use only half of the dough, you can freeze the other half of it for up to 1 month.

2 Take a piece of the dough and roll it into a 3 millimeter-thick rectangle with a rolling pin, then spread 1/8 of the filling onto the dough leaving small gaps around the dough.

3 Gently roll the dough into a log, starting with a long edge, and pinch to seam the dough. Cut the log in half leaving about 2 centimeters of the top of the log uncut.

4 Twirl the two strands around each other and tie them in a knot. Push the two ends into the middle of the knot. Repeat this process until you used up all dough pieces.

5 Once you have finished tying, put each bun onto a baking paper-lined tray, Cover the tray lightly with a piece of clingfilm and let them rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Preheat your oven to 220C (428F).Once your buns have risen, bake them in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. Transfer the buns onto a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before eating. Enjoy!

Tips for Making Vegan Babka

Make your Tangzhong with boiling water

If you make your tangzhong with water that is under 70C, the tangzhong won’t work at all. It is very important to use boiling water to gelatinize the flour.

Use your hand to combine the ingredients

Because this dough uses tangzhong which is so sticky, it is difficult to combine the ingredients with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Bake your buns at a high temperature

When you bake the enriched sweet dough, you need to bake it at a high temperature for a short time which can the buns make fluffy and moist.

Q & A

How long do my Babka buns last?

These Babka buns can last for about 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container. You don’t have to refrigerate the buns unless your room is very hot.

Can I freeze my Babka buns?

Yes, the buns can be feezed perfectly for up to 1 month. if you freeze unbaked buns, cover the cake tin tightly to prevent it from getting freezer burn. When you bake the frozen buns, thaw them at room temperature for about 2 hours.

How can I reheat my Babka buns?

It is good to have warm babka buns, so warm your cooled buns in a microwave or in a low-temperature oven for a short time.

Why are these buns no-knead?

The reason why you have to knead bread, it can develop gluten faster but actually, it can be developed by itself if the flour has been hydrated with enough water. However, this process takes time much longer than when you knead the dough, so you need to give it some time to be a proper bread dough which usually is 12-24 hours.

More Vegan Bun Recipes

No Knead Tangzhong Maple Pecan Sticky Buns (Vegan)

Chinese Steamed Black Sesame Red Bean Buns (Vegan)

Vegan Tangzhong Anpan (Japanese Red Bean Buns)