Lemon-Cheese Babka
Yield
1 loafPrep
3 hrsCook
40 minReady
4 hrsIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | envelope |
yeast, active dry
|
|
| ¼ | cup |
sugar
|
|
| ¼ | cup |
water
very warm |
|
| 3 1/2-4 | cups |
all-purpose flour
|
|
| ¾ | teaspoon |
salt
|
|
| 2 | teaspoons |
lemon zest
grated |
|
| 2 | large |
eggs
plus 2 egg yolks |
|
| ⅓ | cup |
milk
warm |
|
| 6 | tablespoons |
butter
or margarine,softened |
|
| ½ | cup |
raisins, seedless
|
|
| 1 | x |
powdered sugar
|
*
|
| Cheese filling | |||
| 8 | ounces |
cream cheese
|
|
| ½ | cup |
cottage cheese
|
*
|
| 1 | each |
egg yolks
|
*
|
| ¼ | cup |
sugar
|
|
| 1 | teaspoon |
lemon zest
grated |
|
| Crumb topping | |||
| 3 | tablespoons |
all-purpose flour
|
|
| ⅓ | cup |
nuts
chopped |
|
| 3 | tablespoons |
butter
or margarine,, softened |
|
| 3 | tablespoons |
sugar
|
|
| ¼ | teaspoon |
cinnamon
ground |
|
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | envelope |
yeast, active dry
|
|
| 59 | ml |
sugar
|
|
| 59 | ml |
water
very warm |
|
|
all-purpose flour
|
|
||
| 3.8 | ml |
salt
|
|
| 1E+1 | ml |
lemon zest
grated |
|
| 2 | large |
eggs
plus 2 egg yolks |
|
| 79 | ml |
milk
warm |
|
| 9E+1 | ml |
butter
or margarine,softened |
|
| 118 | ml |
raisins, seedless
|
|
| 1 | x |
powdered sugar
|
*
|
| Cheese filling | |||
| 231.2 | ml/g |
cream cheese
|
|
| 118 | ml |
cottage cheese
|
*
|
| 1 | each |
egg yolks
|
*
|
| 59 | ml |
sugar
|
|
| 5 | ml |
lemon zest
grated |
|
| Crumb topping | |||
| 45 | ml |
all-purpose flour
|
|
| 79 | ml |
nuts
chopped |
|
| 45 | ml |
butter
or margarine,, softened |
|
| 45 | ml |
sugar
|
|
| 1.3 | ml |
cinnamon
ground |
|
Directions
Sprinkle yeast and ½ teaspoon of the sugar over very warm water in a 1 cup measure. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Combine 2 cups of the flour, salt, lemon rind and the remaining sugar in a large bowl; make a well in the middle. Beat eggs and egg yolks in a small bowl just to mix. Pour eggs, yeast mixture and warm milk into well. Stir liquids into flour until smooth. Beat well.
Add softened butter gradually, beating well. Stir in 1 more cup of the flour. Beat until dough leaves the side of the bowl.
Knead on a lightly floured surface; until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Press dough into a buttered large bowl, turn to bring buttered side up; cover. Let rise in a warm place, 1½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
While the dough is rising, make Cheese Filling: Beat cream cheese and cottage cheese in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; beat in egg yolk and sugar. Stir in lemon rind.
Make Crumb Topping: Combine nuts, flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Grease two 8 x 1½ inch pans.
When dough has doubled, punch down, knead in raisins; divide dough into four equal parts; press two parts into the bottoms and about ½ inch up the sides of the prepared pans; spread each with about 1 cup of the cheese filling.
Shape remaining dough into 2 8-inch circles; place on top of cheese filling. Press the handle of a spoon into dough around edges to seal.
Sprinkle half the crumb topping over each. Let rise in a warm place until dough reaches the top of the pans, about 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated 350℉ (180℃) degree oven for 40 minutes; or until the cakes sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack. (Place foil loosely over the crumb topping; invert onto rack, then turn right side up.) Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
