With Crispy, Crunchy Pistachio Filling
I went on the prowl for an alternative to the traditional chocolate babka recipe to mix up the flavors a little and try a different recipe that might challenge me. Variety is the spice of life. I couldn’t find anything that piqued my interest until I remembered what ingredients I have on hand: pistachios, pistachio cream, and kataifi. Shoot, why don’t I make a Dubai chocolate babka? Well, the internet lacks any decent recipe (at least as of October 2025), so here you go!
Please read the recipe before beginning the prep. This recipe requires several rest periods, including ideally overnight, and a lot of ingredients. Not the best when you want something immediately, but it’s worth it. (Start early in the morning if you’d like something by the evening.)
Yields two loaves, because one isn’t enough.
DOUGH INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 grams (slightly more than one packet) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, for the yeast mixture
- 4 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for the dough
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
FILLING INGREDIENTS
- 2 jars (13.4 ounces) pistachio cream
- 2 cups kataifi
- 1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachios, roughly chopped (I used salted pistachios since that’s what I had on hand, but unsalted are fine too)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
STREUSEL INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Double Dark Cocoa Blend – King Arthur Baking Company
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 7 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, par melted
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
SYRUP INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Warm the whole milk slightly such that it’s simply warm to the touch. If measuring the temperature, should be between 90 and 110 degrees. Any warmer will kill the yeast.
- Combine the warmed milk, yeast, and teaspoon of sugar and let rest for 5-10 minutes such that the mixture is bubbly. If the mixture doesn’t bubble, the yeast may be expired or the milk too warm.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, and salt until fully blended.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the milk mixture, eggs, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Set to medium low and let knead for ~4 minutes.
- Add half the butter (5 tablespoons) to the dough and continue to mix on medium low speed for ~3 minutes. Then add the other half the butter and mix on medium speed for ~7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (should bounce back quickly after you poke it). The dough may stick to the bowl for the first few minutes, but as the gluten develops, it will become a single mass that resists the bowl. Do not succumb to the urge to add more flour as this will make the bread dense and dry.
- Spray with Pam cooking spray, or butter, a clean bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover with cling wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1.5 hours. The dough will not double in size, but should show some rise.
- Press the dough down with your hand, recover with cling wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours, or up to overnight. More flavor develops the longer it is able to sit.
- Just prior to removing the dough, make the filling. In a pan on the stove, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the kataifi to the butter and stir every 15-20 seconds or so until the kataifi is golden brown. Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
- Once the kataifi is warm to the touch, mix in the 2 jars of pistachio cream and the roughly chopped pistachios. The warmth makes it easier to mix. Let sit for 10 minutes to cool further.
- Grease two 9×5” bread pans with Pam cooking spray or softened butter. Cut 4 strips of parchment paper and place one in length wise, and another width wise in each pan. Grease over the parchment paper. (I prefer cooking spray as it prevents the parchment from bunching/wrinkling versus smearing butter.) The strips should have a little overhang as they’ll be used to more easily remove the baked loaves from the pans.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and cut in half. Roll out into a 9×18” rectangle. Spread half the pistachio cream mixture on the rolled dough leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. This gives the cream space when it spreads as you roll the dough.
- Roll the dough into a tight log maintaining the 18” in length. Now cut the dough in half along the seem length wise, revealing the layers of pistachio cream mixture. Place the two pieces of dough side by side and twist/braid the dough around each other with the pistachio cream layers facing up. Fold the dough in half so that the braids are next to each other. Place the folded dough in the pan with the pistachio cream layers facing up.
- Repeat steps 11-12 for the other half of dough. Cover both pans with cling wrap and allow the dough to double in size, ~1.5 hours.
- While the dough is rising, make the streusel and syrup. To make the streusel, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk. Pour the par melted butter into the dry ingredients and preferably combine with your hands into big crumbles. Do not form into a large mass as the crumbles will be spread evenly over the dough.
- To make the syrup, combine the honey and water into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer then continue to simmer for about 2-3 minutes, swirling occasionally. Turn off the burner and let cool.
- When the dough is just about doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Once the oven is preheated and the dough has doubled in size, sprinkle half the chocolate streusel over one loaf of dough, then the other half over the other loaf.
- Bake the loaves for approximately 45-55 minutes. The best way to check doneness is to measure the temperature of the bread. It should be 185-195 degrees. Begin checking around the 45 minute mark. Alternatively, you may check for doneness by inserting a cake tester into the center. It shouldn’t have any resistance or dough clinging to the tester. The top should also sound hollow when you tap it.
- As soon as you remove the loaves from the oven, poke holes in the bread around the entire loaf. Pour the syrup onto each loaf, half for each (I like to put the syrup in a Pyrex measuring cup as the spout allows for more control). This gives the loaves a nice sheen and added moisture. Let the loaves rest in the pans for 10 minutes.
- Once cooled slightly, remove the loaves from each of the pans by pulling up on the parchment paper. If the loaves are sticking to the corners, gently use a sharp knife to release them. Place the loaves on cooling racks, removing the parchment from underneath them.
- Allow the loaves to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing into them (it’s best served warm). Let cool completely before wrapping to store. Can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, cling wrap, or aluminum foil for 3-4 days, recognizing the bread will dry out a little more each day that passes.
- Pro tip: heat each slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds prior to eating.
