Cinnamon Date Honey Pistachio Babka Buns

• milk↗85g g
• instant dry yeast↗1 sachet sachet
• golden sugar↗50g g
• strong white flour↗265g – 330g g

  plus extra for dusting

• egg↗1 large large

  beaten

• unsalted butter↗60g g

  at room temperature

• neutral oil

  for rising and shaping

• pitted dates↗250g g
• ground cinnamon↗2 tsp tsp
• pistachios↗100g g

  chopped

• egg↗1

  beaten with a pinch of salt, for glaze

• granulated sugar↗50g g
• honey↗2 tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it becomes slightly warm (not hot). Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl, adding one‑two tablespoons of milk and a generous pinch of sugar. Let it stand for 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, combine 265 g of flour, the remaining sugar and ¼ tsp of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, and stir. Make a well in the flour and, when the yeast starts to foam, pour it in together with the beaten egg and butter. Add the yeast mixture, then use the remaining milk to rinse any yeast from the bowl, and add it as well.

3. 3

   Mix the ingredients until a dough ball forms, then knead for 5‑6 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and shiny. (All of this can be done by hand if you don’t have a mixer.) If the dough is very sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise at room temperature for about 45 minutes, then refrigerate to rise for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. 4

   For the filling, chop the dates if they are whole, then place them in a heat‑proof bowl with 90 ml of hot water and let soften for 30 minutes. Blend into a paste, adding water by the tablespoon if the mass is too thick. Do not add too much – you need a spreadable paste, not a liquid. When the consistency is right, add the cinnamon and stir.

5. 5

   Lightly grease a 23 cm springform pan with a removable bottom and line it with parchment. Place the cooled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 40 cm × 30 cm rectangle. Spread the date paste and sprinkle the chopped pistachios. Roll up from one of the short sides into a log. If the dough becomes soft, transfer it to a tray and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator until firm. (If the log is too large for the fridge, carefully cut it in half with a sharp serrated knife.)

6. 6

   Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log into slices about 5 cm thick. You should get about seven slices. Arrange them in the prepared pan with the spiral side up, starting with one in the center and placing the others around it. Leave space between them so they can expand during proofing. Cover and let rise in a warm place until they double in size (about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes).

7. 7

   Twenty minutes before the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 220 °C/200 °C with fan/gas 7. Lightly brush the dough with beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes.

8. 8

   Meanwhile, prepare a syrup by dissolving the sugar and honey in 2 tbsp of water in a small saucepan over low heat. As soon as the babka buns come out of the oven, generously brush them with the honey syrup and let them cool in the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store for up to three days in an airtight container.