Babka is a Jewish yeast bread that is enriched with eggs, milk and butter. It’s essentially a brioche bread that is usually filled with cinnamon or chocolate and then braided into loaves.

I don’t have a stand mixer. Can I make this by hand?

Yes, you can! Believe it or not, I used to make all bread recipes by hand. You will just need to knead the dough by hand for up to 15 minutes. It can get quite sticky, but refrain from adding too much flour. I like to knead the dough with oiled hands and use a plastic bench scraper to help move the dough around. Don’t forget to perform the window pane test to know that it has been properly kneaded.

Bread flour (aka strong flour) has a higher protein percentage than all-purpose flour, making it ideal for yeasted bread recipes. The higher protein means that it has more gluten in it, which makes the dough more elastic and light, resulting in a chewy and airy texture.

How do you know when your dough is done proofing?

Proofing refers to the final rise right before baking. You'll know when your loaf is ready for the oven, when you are able to make an indentation in the dough with your finger and it does not bounce back. If your indentation bounces back immediately, then it’s not ready yet.

Cinnamon Apple Babka With Vanilla Glaze

Description

Cinnamon Apple Babka – An irresistibly soft and fluffy brioche bread featuring swirls of cinnamon and spiced apples, and drizzled with a simple vanilla glaze! A beautiful and delicious dessert that will surely impress!

Ingredients

Scale

Babka Dough

1/2 Cup (113g) Buttermilk, warm
1 3/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
¼ Cup + 1 teaspoon (50 grams + 5 grams) Granulated White Sugar
5 Tbsp (71 grams) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Large Egg + 1 Yolk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
2 1/4 Cups (270g) + up to 2 Tablespoons Bread Flour
1 Tablespoon Dry Milk Powder
¼ Teaspoons Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoons Salt

Sautéed Apples

2 Medium Apples
1 to 2 Tablespoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Cinnamon Filling

4 Tablespoons (56g) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose flour
1/2 Cup (100g) Brown Sugar

Vanilla Glaze

1/2 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
2 Tablespoons Milk

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Instructions

Make Babka Dough – For Active Dry Yeast; In the bowl of your stand mixer, add warm buttermilk (105ºF), yeast and 1 teaspoon of white sugar and stir to combine. Allow the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes. For Instant Yeast, see note below.
To the yeast mixture, add softened butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 yolk, vanilla, 2 1/4 cup bread flour, milk powder, nutmeg and salt.
Fit your stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough on medium/high speed for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough should be elastic and is ready when it passes the window pane test (see note below). If your dough is a bit wet, you can add up to 2 tablespoons of flour.
With oiled hands, pick up the dough and form it into a ball. Then, place the dough into a well oiled bowl (I used the same stand mixer bowl). Cover with plastic wrap and allow rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Make Sautéed Apples – Cook diced apples, butter, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg over medium heat until tender. About 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and place in the fridge until needed.
Make Cinnamon Sugar Filling – In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, all-purpose flour and cinnamon. Set aside on the counter until needed.
Shape Your Loaf – Gently punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
With a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 15×18 inch rectangle. Evenly spread the cinnamon sugar filling onto the dough and then evenly distribute the diced apples.
Tightly roll the dough into a 15 inch log. Pinch the seam and then rotate the log lengthwise, seam side down.
With a sharp knife, cut the log down the middle, exposing the layers. Place 1 piece on top of the other on a diagonal. Then twist the pieces of dough onto itself. Pinch the ends to keep it in place.
Transfer the bread into a parchment-lined 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel and allow to proof for about 45 minutes. Do not overproof! Please read my tips regarding proofing below.
When the bread is almost done proofing, set a rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (176ºC). Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190ºF (88ºC). After 25 to 30 minutes of baking, loosely tent the babka with foil to prevent it from browning too much.
Allow babka to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Make Vanilla Glaze – Combine powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk. If you’d like a thinner glaze, add a touch more milk.
Pour glaze over your babka and serve! A serrated knife is best to slice. Enjoy!

Notes

For Instant Yeast; Combine all the ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed to step 3. Just make sure the salt and yeast are not touching. There is no need to activate or bloom in buttermilk.
To perform the window pane test, take a small (2 tbsp) ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
How to know when your babka is done proofing – To know when rolls are properly proofed and ready for the oven, perform a “poke test!” With your pointer finger, gently poke a roll and if it springs back quickly, it is not ready. If there is a slight indentation, then it’s ready to bake!
Shaping the loaf – Please see photos in the body of the blog post for reference.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes + 2 Hrs
Cook Time: 55 to 60 Minutes