Jewish Cheese Babka Recipes

JEWISH CHEESE BABKA

Steps:

• Stir yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar into warm water. Set aside until frothy.
• Grease 3 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans.
• Scald the milk over medium-high heat, and place in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Add 4 ounces room-temperature butter and stir to melt. Add 1/2 cup sugar, salt, yeast mixture, and 3 beaten egg yolks.
• Add flour, and knead until shiny and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat both sides, cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. This may take as long as 2 hours.
• In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, 3 egg yolks and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, prepare the crumb topping by mixing together 6 tablespoons flour and 8 tablespoons sugar and cutting in 4 tablespoons cold butter as for pie dough. Set aside.
• Punch down risen dough and divide into 3 parts. Working with 1 part at a time and covering the rest, roll into a large rectangle 1/8-inch thick.
• Spread dough with one-third of the cheese filling. Fold in the sides of the dough, and then roll up tightly as for a jellyroll. Place in 1 of the prepared pans. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with one-third of the crumb topping.
• Repeat with remaining dough and remaining 2 loaf pans. Cover loaf pans with greased plastic wrap and let rise until above the rim of the pan.
• Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 F. Bake babkas for 40 to 50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Using a knife, loosen babka from sides of the pan. Cool completely in the loaf pan. Then turn out onto a rack.

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.