Cheese babka recipe

Polish babka is a sweet Easter type of cake. Very similar in texture to muffins. Fragrant, lush, tender and delicious.
Polish babka, like any pastry with yeast, is not difficult to prepare, but it requires time and attention. If you are used to working with dry yeast, then they need to add ¾ oz of yeast.

Make the Dough

Prepare the sourdough

• To make sourdough, boil the milk and let it cool. When the milk has cooled, add yeast, flour and sugar to it. Mix all the ingredients well and set the resulting mixture aside for a while, allowing the sourdough to rise.

Prepare the dough

• Boil the milk with butter, let it cool. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar until you get an airy foam (it is best to use a mixer with a whisk). Add salt and vanilla. Add 1 cup of flour then a cup of a cooled mixture of milk and butter step by step. After adding 4 cups of flour, pour in the previously prepared sourdough. Knead the dough.
• Put the resulting dough in the heat and wait until it rises.

Make the Cheese Filling

• Add the softened cheese, sugar, egg yolk to a bowl and mix until smooth.
• Let it chill

Make the Crumb Topping

• Add sugar and flour to a bowl and whisk. Add butter and mix until smooth.

Assemble the Cheese Babkas

• Divide the dough in half. Put one half of the dough on a floured surface and roll it in a square around 16 inches.
• Spread half of the filling on top and leave 1 inch from the edge of the dough.
• Then fold the edges over in order to keep the filling in.
• Start to carefully roll the dough, from the furthest edge, move towards yourself. Hold one end and twist.
• Repeat the instructions above for the second half of the dough.
• Put the two parts of the dough in a baking pan covered with baking parchment.
• Let the dough rest for 1-2 hours. When the dough rises, preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, then let the babkas cool for 10 minutes.
• Bon appetit!