This babka is cinnamon-laced, buttery, with brown sugar filling and studded with nuts and raisins. It’s a loaf worthy of any holiday, especially Festivus! it’s also a great companion with tea or coffee.
For the dough:
3 cups preferred All-Purpose Flour
2 TBSN Dry Milk
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 large egg
5 TBSN unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 TBSN preferred All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup diced pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup golden raisins
To make the Glaze:
1 large egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
To make the Topping:
2 TBSN preferred All-Purpose Flour
1 TBSN brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 TBSN cold unsalted butter
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Medium Large mixing bowl, towel to cover bowl, cooking spoon, measuring cup, measuring spoons, 9x5 loaf pan, sharp knife, spatula.
Prep: 30 min Cook: 50 min Ready: 6 hours Serves: One 9” loaf
1. Measure the flour into a cup, then trim off any excess.
2. Combine all the dough ingredients (starting with the lesser amount of water), mixing until everything is moistened. Add more water if necessary to enable the dough to form.
3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. Then mix and knead it until it's soft and smooth.
4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow the dough to rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's risen.
5. To make the filling: Just before you’re ready to shape the dough, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Stir in the melted butter and water until evenly incorporated. Set aside.
6. To make the topping: Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly incorporated. Work in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
7. Shape the dough into a thick rectangle. If the dough "fights back," cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes, then stretch it some more.
8. Smear the dough with the filling, coming to within an inch of the edges. Scatter the nuts and raisins atop the filling.
9. Starting with a short end, roll the dough gently into a log, sealing the seam and ends. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise (not crosswise) to make two pieces of dough each about 10" long; cut carefully, to prevent too much filling from spilling out.
10. With the exposed filling side up, twist the two pieces into a braid, tucking the ends underneath. Place the twisted loaf into a lightly greased 9” x 5” loaf pan.
11. Brush the loaf with the egg glaze. Mix together the topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle it over the loaf.
12. Cover the loaf, and let it rise and crowned an inch over the rim of the pan, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 350°F.
13. Bake the bread for 40 to 50 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil during the final 15 to 20 minutes of baking; the loaf should be a deep-golden brown and a digital thermometer into the center of it should register about 195°F.
14. Remove the babka from the oven, and loosen the edges with a spatula.
15. Let the babka cool for 10 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.
16. Slice the babka and serve it at room temperature; or rewarm individual slices briefly in a toaster, if desired.
1 serving: Calories 262
Total Fat 14.56g
Saturated Fat 3.693g
Cholesterol 14mg
Sodium 241mg
Total Carbohydrate 28.99g
Dietary Fiber 0.8g
Sugars 12.86g
Protein 4.55g
People use cinnamon as a supplement to treat problems with the digestive system, diabetes, loss of appetite, and other conditions. Cinnamon oil may help treat some types of fungal infections
Riesling (medium-dry)