Cheese Babka recipe is a Polish bread recipe that is a popular dessert during Easter and other holidays, but it can be enjoyed year-round as a delicious and flavorful bread.
In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar over the warm water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Combine the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, eggs, and 1 cup of flour and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Gradually add the remaining flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a round and place it in a large greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled, approximately 1-1/2 hours.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Beat together until smooth. Set aside. Lightly oil a bundt pan.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread the 2 tablespoons of butter over the surface of the dough and then the cheese filling over the butter. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, 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 for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Bake until deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes; invert onto a wire rack and remove the pan. Allow the bread to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
Hostess Tips for the Perfect Cheese Babka Recipe
Knead the dough properly: Proper kneading is crucial to developing gluten, which gives the bread structure and texture. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. This usually takes around 8-10 minutes of kneading by hand or 5-7 minutes with a stand mixer.
Don’t overfill the dough: When spreading the filling on the rolled-out dough, make sure to leave a border around the edges. Overfilling can cause the filling to leak out during baking, resulting in a messy babka.
Create tight rolls: When rolling the dough into a log shape, make sure to roll it tightly. This will help prevent the filling from escaping. I make my first twist in the center and work to each end.
Cool completely: While the aroma of freshly baked bread may be enticing, it’s worth practicing patience and allowing the bread to cool before slicing.
Bread continues to cook internally even after it is removed from the oven. During the cooling process, the residual heat evaporates moisture, allowing the bread to set and firm up. Slicing into hot bread can result in a gummy or doughy texture, as it hasn’t had enough time to fully bake and set.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.comWe baked this bread in a bundt pan but it could be baked in a loaf pan.
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.