Cheese-Filled Easter Polish Bread (Babka)

Description

This is a delicious sweet bread with a swirl of orange and vanilla-flavored cheese. It is easy to make and too easy to eat. We will enjoy it this Easter and I hope you enjoy it too! Eat one loaf for Easter and freeze the other for later.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup white sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))
  • 3 ⅓ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
  • ⅔ teaspoon salt
  • 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier®)
  • ½ orange, zested
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cold butter, cubed
  • ½ cup thinly sliced almonds
  • 1 egg white, beaten

Instructions

  1. Mix 1 teaspoon sugar
  2. water
  3. and yeast together in a small bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam
  4. about 5 minutes.
  5. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons butter until melted. Let mixture cool to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C)
  6. about 5 minutes.
  7. Mix remaining sugar
  8. yeast mixture
  9. 2 egg yolks
  10. and salt into the milk mixture. Add 3 1/3 cups flour; knead dough until shiny and elastic.
  11. Place dough in a greased bowl
  12. turning to coat both sides. Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise until doubled
  13. 1 to 2 hours.
  14. Combine cream cheese
  15. 1 cup sugar
  16. 2 egg yolks
  17. orange liqueur
  18. orange zest
  19. and 1 vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
  20. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons flour together in a bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Stir in almonds.
  21. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  22. Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll 1 half into a rectangle 1/8-inch thick; keep the other half covered. Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture over the dough. Fold in the short ends of the dough and roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Transfer to a prepared loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese mixture.
  23. Brush beaten egg white over the loaves; sprinkle almond topping evenly on top. Cover loaves with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches above the rim of the pans
  24. about 1 hour.
  25. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  26. Bake loaves in the preheated oven until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees F (88 degrees C)
  27. 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the sides to loosen; let cool completely
  28. about 30 minutes.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 55 mins

Servings: 24

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