Cheese Babka

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Description

Polish cheese babka like my grandmother served every Easter.

Ingredients

  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 pinch white sugar
  • ¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup lukewarm milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 ½ cups farmers cheese
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon dried lemon peel
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the yeast and the pinch of sugar over the warm water; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy
  2. about 10 minutes.
  3. Combine the 1/2 cup butter
  4. 1/4 cup sugar
  5. salt
  6. 2 teaspoons of vanilla
  7. milk
  8. and 3 eggs in a bowl with 1 cup of flour and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and beat for 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic
  9. adding small amounts of flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a round
  10. and place it in a greased bowl
  11. turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size
  12. about 1 1/2 hours.
  13. Beat together the farmers’ cheese
  14. 1/3 cup sugar
  15. sour cream
  16. 1 egg
  17. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  18. and dried lemon peel in a bowl until smooth. Set the filling aside. Lightly oil a 10-inch fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt®).
  19. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the cheese filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll
  20. starting from the long end; twist the dough 6 to 8 times to form a rope. Pinch the seams and ends closed and arrange the rope of dough in the greased pan. Cover loosely and let rise 1 hour.
  21. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  22. Bake the babka until deep golden brown
  23. 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes; invert the babka onto a wire rack and remove the pan. Allow the babka to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 6 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 12

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