Cheesecake Babka Recipes

CHEESE BABKA

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast and the pinch of sugar over the warm water; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Combine the 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, milk, 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, adding small amounts of flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a round, and place it in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Beat together the farmers' cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, sour cream, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 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®).
• 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, 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.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake the babka until deep golden brown, 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.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BABKA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and stir gently. Let stand until the yeast begins to soften and turn foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
• Stir the yeast mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Mix in the flour in three or four batches on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until fully combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the dough is smooth but still sticky, 4 to 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and add the dough, turning to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough, cover again and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Make the cream cheese filling: Beat the cream cheese, egg yolks, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until combined. Set aside.
• Make the pecan filling: Stir together the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and pecans in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and mix until the pecans are coated and the sugar looks like wet sand. Transfer 1/2 cup of the pecan filling to a small bowl and combine with the flour (this is the topping). Set both bowls aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Lightly butter two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans. Line each pan with parchment paper, leaving at least a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Butter the paper and place the pans on a large rimmed baking sheet.
• Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out each piece into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread each rectangle with half of the cream cheese filling and sprinkle each with half of the pecan filling. Starting at a long side, roll up the dough into a tight log. Pinch the ends to seal in the filling. (If the dough becomes too soft, refrigerate the logs on a baking sheet until firm.) Fold the dough in half into a horseshoe shape, then cross the right half over the left, twisting into a figure-eight shape. Twist once or twice more, then fit into the prepared pans. Loosely cover each pan with plastic wrap. Set aside until slightly risen, about 20 minutes.
• Brush the tops of the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the pecan topping. Bake the babkas, rotating the pans halfway through, until dark golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. (If the tops begin to brown too quickly, tent with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 325˚ F.) Transfer to a rack and let the babkas cool completely in the pans.

POLISH BABKA WITH OPTIONAL CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Add yeast to lukewarm (hot will kill the yeast)water and let stand until softened or dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, add salt to egg yolks and beat until thick; then add to sugar and butter mixture.
• Add yeast and water, lemon rind, cinnamon and cardamom.
• Add flour alternately with milk and beat well to make a smooth batter.
• Add raisins and knead by hand until batter leaves the fingers.
• Let rise in a warm draft free place until double (about 1-1/2 hours). Punch down and let rise again until double.
• Generously butter a fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and fill with dough. Brush with mixture of egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water. Sprinkle with almonds and let rise again. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 45-60 minutes.
• Optional:.
• Mix cheese filling ingredients together.
• Place 1/2 the dough in the prepared pan place the filling mixture on the center of the dough, place the rest of the dough on the mixture. Try to pinch the dough together so filling is encased inside. Or roll out into a log about 20x 10. Then place cheese filling in the center down the long side of the roll, bringing the sides over to encase the filling. Then place into prepared pan and let rise 30 minutes. Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with almonds. Bake 350 for 45-60 minutes.