1 cup milk
2 tablespoons milk — additional
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour — (all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter — or margarine
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
(PICK A FILLING:) CINNAMON SUGAR BABKA FILLING: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter — softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
CHOCOLATE BABKA FILLING: 1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
CHEESE BABKA FILLING: 8 ounces farmer’s cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/4 cup dark raisins
CRUMB TOPPING: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter — softened
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 pinches cinnamon
EGG WASH: 1 large egg white — beaten with:
1 teaspoon water
All ingredients must be at room temperature.
Add ingredients except for filling, crumb topping, and egg wash in the order specified in your machine’s manual.
Use DOUGH setting.
At the end of the program, press CLEAR/ STOP. To punch dough down, press START and let knead for 60 seconds. Press CLEAR/ STOP again. Remove dough and let rest 5 minutes before hand-shaping.
HAND- SHAPING TECHNIQUE: While the dough is rising, prepare your filling of choice by blending ingredients together with a fork til crumbly. To make crumb topping, blend all ingredients with a fork til crumbly. Chill both til ready to use.
Lightly grease a 4 -1/2 x 8 -1/2- inch loaf pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Cover with filling up to 1 -inch from edges. Roll up lengthwise, jelly roll fashion. Pinch seam and ends together securely together so that they do not open during baking.
Carefully place babka in prepared pan. Fold ends under and shape into an ” S ” so that it fits into the pan. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise til doubled in size.
OVEN: 350
Form a crease in the top of the risen babka with the side of your hand. Brush with egg wash and cover with crumb topping.
Bake approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or til golden brown. (If babka begins to brown too quickly, cover top with foil..
Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
VARIATIONS:
CHOCOLATE FILLING: Blend together cocoa and sugar. Brush surface of babka with melted butter. Sprinkle with cocoa-sugar mixture and pecans.
CHEESE FILLING: Blend all ingredients together except the raisins. After spreading the cheese filling on the babka, sprinkle with raisins.