I wondered what "Babka" is.
I decided to try to make a version of this using apples that are going soft...and my new cinnamon chips I found at the store this week. I agree with Jerry on cinnamon.This is no "lesser babka."
The verdict? It's like apple pie and cinnamon rolls and coffee cake all rolled in to one! Amazing. I have plans to put other fruit/chip/nut combinations together to make new flavors.
start start 4 hours ahead!
Dough
4 oz warm milk
1-1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 c sugar
1 egg, plus 1 yolk
2-1/4 c flour (I part whole wheat)
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tbl butter, cut into pieces, room temp
Filling
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 c brown sugar
Streusal Topping
1/4 c butter
1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, and yeast mixture until combined.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine flour and salt. Add egg mixture and beat until flour is incorporated.
- Add butter and knead 10 minutes until a smooth dough forms.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour
- Butter a 9x5 loaf pan. Add parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper.
- Punch down the dough and let rest 5 minutes.
- Roll dough into a 16inch square. Brush edges of the dough with egg wash.
- Spread apples, cinnamon chips, and brown sugar over dough leaving about a half inch around edges.
- Roll dough up, pinching sides to seal as you go.
- Twist the rolled dough 5-6 times to make it longer, then fold into a horseshoe shape.
- Cross the ends to form a figure eight and twist a couple more times. Fit the twisted dough into the prepared pan.
- Let rise 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350*
- To make streusel, combine butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Using fork (or pastry cutter), cut into butter until mixture is about the texture of coarse bread crumbs.
- Sprinkle on top of loaf.
- Bake 50 minutes, rotating pan after 25 minutes.
- Turn temperature down to 325* and bake 20-30 more minutes, until golden and knife comes out clean.
- Don't underbake. Cool on wire rack.