Apple Cinnamon Babka

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A simple homemade yeast dough rolled tightly into a gooey apple cinnamon filling. Braid it, then bake it for the best fall take on this classic Jewish babka bread recipe.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1

Total Time6 30

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: apple babka, apple cinnamon babka, babka bread, babka recipe, cinnamon babka

Servings: loaf

Ingredients

Babka Dough

2/3 cup whole milk room temperature
2¼ teaspoons Active Yeast (1 standard packet)
1/3 cup granulated sugar divided
5 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced into 1 tablespoon size pieces and softened to room temperature
2 large egg yolks (save 2 egg whites for filling and topping)
1½ teaspoon salt
2⅔ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) plus more as needed while kneading the dough

Cinnamon Apple Filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
2 large SugarBee® apples peeled and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cupe dark brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumble Topping

3 teablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

Whisk the milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl. Cover and let it sit for 5 mintes.
Add the remaining sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Beat on low with a hand mixer for 30 seconds. Then, scrape down the sides with a spatula.
Add 1 cup of flour and beat again with the hand mixer on medium until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with the spatula.
Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium until the dough forms. If needed, add 2-4 tablespoons of flour.

Knead the Dough

Use the hand mixer to knead the dough in the same bowl for 6-8 minutes.
If the dough gets to sticky, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on your work surface.
The dough should slowly bounce back when you poke it with your finger.

First Rise

Lightly oil a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put the dough in the bowl, turning it until all sides are coated.
Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 3-4 hours.

Prepare the Filling

Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan. Add the apples and stir until they are slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and then set the pan aside.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a different pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes crumbly. Then, stir in the egg white and set the pan aside.

Shape the Dough

Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it to release the air. Add flour to your work surface, rolling pin, and your hands.
Roll the dough out into a 12x16-inch rectangle.
Transfer the cinnamon filling mixture to the rolled-out dough and spread it out evenly along the top.
Arrange the apples in a single layer.
Tightly roll up the dough with your hands to form a 16-inch long log. Place the log on its seam.
Fold the log in half, then twist it to form a figure 8.
Pinch the ends together and place it in the oiled loaf pan.

Second Rise

Cover the babka with a kitchen towel and let it rise for 1-1½ hours, until puffy at the top.

Prepare the Crumble Topping

Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.
Add the cold butter. Use a fork to cut the butter into the brown sugar mixture to form small crumbles. Set it in the fridge until the dough is done rising.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Use a pastry brush to carefully brush the top of the babka with the egg whites.
Poke 10-12 holes all over the top of the loaf with a toothpick and sprinkle the apple cinnamon babka with the crumbly butter topping.
Bake for 60-65 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

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