Back in the day, my now-grown children’s Polish grandmother would bring them a freshly baked cheese babka for their annual Easter celebration. Without fail and it was always delicious. Offering this Traditional Cheese Babka with Crumb Topping as my heartfelt attempt to bring that tradition alive again.
What is babka?
It is thought that babka originated in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe in the early 19th century. Technically, it’s bread made from an enriched dough that produces a cake-like texture. The name derived from a popular Easter cake made in Poland called “baba” which loosely translates to “grandmother” in Polish. The actual term for grandmother is “babcia” although my kids lovingly preferred their term of “Bobbi.”
What are the typical babka fillings?
Babka is prepared with a yeast-leavened dough that is rolled out then spread with a flavorful filling. The dough is then rolled up into a tight log which is coiled or braided before baking. The most popular choices of fillings are sweetened cheese, rum-soaked raisins, sugary cinnamon, chocolate or fruit.
An authentic filling in many Polish communities would be a combination of rum-soaked raisins with sweetened cheese. My family loves their babka with just the sweetened cheese filling.
The dough requires two hours for the first of two rises, so let’s get started on that. Here’s what you’ll need…
- Warm water
- Dry active yeast
- Milk
- Unsalted butter – at room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Eggs
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
Before we get started…
Full credit for this awesome recipe must be given to the three sisters behind the site called, Beneath the Crust.
Since this recipe uses a total of five eggs – four of which are just the yolks – you’ll find yourself wondering what to do with the unused egg whites. Unless you’re a fan of egg white omelettes, you may want to check out the list the girls have compiled – Using Leftover Egg Whites with links to a variety of recipes.
It’s genius… I only wish I had thought of it!
- In a small bowl, add the yeast to the warm water.
- Allow it to sit undisturbed until it begins to froth, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grease two 8-inch round cake pans or springform pans.
- Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper.
- Set them aside until needed.
- Heat the milk until quite warm to the touch.
- Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Cut the butter into smaller pieces and add to the warm milk, stirring until melted.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, egg yolks, and yeast mixture.
- Add the flour and stir until well combined.
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, for about 5 minutes.
- This can be done by hand or with your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
- Grease a large bowl, add the dough and turn once to coat.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
- Set aside in a warm place away from drafts to rise until doubled, for about two hours.
Enriched doughs typically take a long time to rise.
If you have trouble getting your dough to rise, it could be that your kitchen isn’t warm enough. Or perhaps is drafty. Allow me to share a no-fail solution.
Use your cold and turned-off oven. Place your covered bowl of dough in the middle of your oven with the second shelf at the very bottom. Fill a heatproof bowl with boiling water and place the bowl on the bottom shelf. Close the oven door immediately and leave the dough to rise.
The steam from the bowl on the bottom will create the perfect warm, moist environment and the closed oven door will keep the whole area sealed. Completely free of any drafts. Avoid opening the oven door early on in the process, so that the warm steam is trapped as long as possible.
While the dough is resting, let’s prepare the cheese filling…
- Cream cheese – at room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Egg yolk
A note on the cheese filling…
Making this delicious sweetened cheese filling with cream cheese seals the deal for me. Normally, you would be directed to use farmers cheese – a somewhat tart cottage cheese that’s been drained of most of the moisture.
Farmers cheese can be difficult to find on a regular basis. Some stores will carry it around the Easter season since it’s used in many celebratory treats.
Making this filling with cream cheese is so awesome …you can enjoy this Traditional Cheese Babka with Crumb Topping any time of the year.
- Beat the softened cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer running, pour in the sugar and salt, then the egg yolk and flour.
- Mix until well combined.
- Set aside until needed.
Next, we’ll prepare the crumb topping…
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar.
- Cut in the butter until it is in pea-sized pieces.
- A pastry blender is a useful tool here.
- You can instead use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture.
- Set aside until needed.
When the dough has doubled in size, it’s time to assemble your Traditional Cheese Babka with Crumb Topping.
- Do your best to divide the dough into two equal parts.
- On a lightly floured surface, place one part of the dough.
- Roll it into a 13-inch by18-inch rectangle, roughly the size of a half sheet.
A digital food scale can be used to ensure that the dough is perfectly divided in half.
- Spread half of the filling mixture evenly on top.
- Be sure to leave a one-inch border all around.
- Fold the edges over on all sides to help keep the filling in.
- Then, begin to roll the dough, starting from the long edge furthest from you and moving towards you.
- If the dough isn’t rolling freely, give it a nudge by guiding it underneath with a bench scraper or flat metal spatula.
- Pinch the final seam to keep it together.
- Then twist the dough into a spiral.
- Tuck the tail under and place in one of the prepared pans.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Brush both loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with the crumb topping.
- Cover with plastic wrap.
- Set aside in a warm place until the dough begins to rise above the rim of the pan, up to another hour.
- Midway through the second rise, preheat the oven to 350℉.
Of course, be sure to remove your rising bread from your oven if you’re using it as a place to rise your formed bread. Then preheat to prepare for baking.
Finally! It’s time to bake your Traditional Cheese Babka with Crumb Topping.
- Bake the loaves for 45 minutes or until they register 190℉ in the center.
- Using a digital thermometer will do the trick.
- Or you can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick near the center.
- When done, the toothpick should come out clean.
- If the top is browning too much before the babka is done, cover with a tent of foil.
- Allow the babka to cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
- Then run a knife gently around to loosen the edges from the pan.
- Continue to let it cool completely before removing from the pan.
What is the authentic shape of traditional babka?
traditional cheese babka with crumb topping
Rich & moist cheese babka, with swirls of sweetened cheese filling throughout. Topped off with a delicate buttery crumble.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1/4 cup warm water (no more than 100°F)
- 4 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast (15 grams)
- 1 cup milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (4 ounces / 112 grams)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (125 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6 grams)
- 3 egg yolks
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (625 grams)
- egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for the egg wash)
For the Cheese Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (280 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (16 grams)
- 1 egg yolk
For the Crumb Topping
- 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (48 grams)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (125 grams)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, cold & cubed (2 ounces / 56 grams)
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
-
In a small bowl, add the yeast to the warm water. Allow it to sit undisturbed until it begins to froth, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, grease two 8-inch round pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set them aside until needed.
-
Heat the milk until quite warm to the touch. Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Cut the butter into smaller pieces and add to the warm milk, stirring until melted. Stir in the sugar, salt, egg yolks, and yeast mixture. Add the flour and stir until well combined.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, for about 5 minutes. This can be done by hand or with your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
-
Grease a large bowl, add the dough and turn once to coat. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
First Rise
-
Set aside in a warm place away from drafts to rise until doubled, for about two hours. Enriched doughs typically take a long time to rise.
Prepare the Filling
-
Beat the softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, pour in the sugar and salt, then the egg yolk and flour. Mix until well combined.
Prepare the Crumb Topping
-
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until it is in pea-sized pieces. A pastry blender is a useful tool here, but you can also use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture.
Assemble the Babka
-
Do your best to divide the dough into two equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, place one part of the dough and roll it into a rectangle roughly the size of a half sheet (13" x 18").
Spread half of the filling mixture evenly on top, being sure to leave a one-inch border all around. Fold the edges over on all sides to help keep the filling in.
Then, begin to roll the dough, starting from the long edge furthest from you and moving towards you. If the dough isn't rolling freely, give it a nudge by guiding it underneath with a bench scraper or flat metal spatula.
Pinch the final seam to keep it together, and then twist the dough into a spiral, tuck the tail under and place in one of the prepared pans. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Brush both loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with the crumb topping.
Second Rise
-
Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough begins to rise above the rim of the pan, up to another hour. Midway through the second rise, preheat the oven to 350℉.
Bake the Babka
-
Bake the loaves for 45 minutes or until they register 190℉ in the center. You can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick near the center. When done, the toothpick should come out clean.
Allow the babka to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then run a knife gently around to loosen the edges from the pan. Continue to let it cool completely before removing from the pan. Enjoy!
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More filled breads…
Be right over for a big slice or three!!! Do you think Zoe’s gluten-free brioche dough could be used for this? Also, could I use a bread loaf pan? This may just be my singular Easter ambition as far as baking goals.
Thank so much for the lovely comment and rating! Yes …this can definitely be made in loaf pans. The recipe will yield three standard loaves. When forming each loaf, start rolling on the short edge instead of the long one. And bake for a slightly shorter time. I’ve actually made Zoe’s gf version using a Nutella filling. https://ahintofrosemary.com/recipes/nutella-swirl-loaf-gluten-free/ The final product wasn’t quite as authentic as this one but it is delicious. And using a sweetened cheese filling would work so well with it. Keep us posted on your baking success!