Matcha Black Sesame Babka

Ingredients:

Matcha Dough:

1/2 cup whole milk

1 package active dry yeast

1/3 cup sugar

4 1/4 cups AP flour

3 tablespoons matcha powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

4 large eggs

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing pan

Black Sesame Filling:

1 cup black sesame seeds

1 cup honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Method: 

Heat milk until just warmed. Add yeast and let stir for 15 minutes.  Be careful not to overheat your milk as it will kill your yeast.

In a mixer with the dough hook combine sugar, AP flour, matcha powder and kosher salt.   Add yeast mixture, vanilla bean paste and eggs until the dough comes together.

Add half, a tablespoon at a time, to dough while still mixing.  Dough will come together and butter will be completely distributed after about 7 minutes of kneading in electric mixer.

Transfer dough to a buttered bowl and let rise for about 2 hours until almost doubled in size.

Punch down and let rise for about 4 hours.

In the meantime, prepare black sesame filling.  Combine black sesame seeds, honey, kosher salt and vanilla bean paste in food processor and blend until completely smooth.  Reserve.

Roll proofed matcha dough in a 9x17 rectangle.  Evenly spread prepared black sesame filling over entire surface.  Roll into a tight roll and slice down the middle.  Twist two pieces together into braid.

Transfer to a buttered 9 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

If desired, brush top of warm babka with a simple syrup-matcha mixture.