Description
A delightful sweet babka filled with blueberry preserves and creamy cheese, perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Blueberries (Fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup Sugar (Sweeten to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 8 oz Cream Cheese (Softened)
- 1/2 cup Sugar (For cream cheese filling)
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 1 cup Milk (Warm)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (Very soft)
- 1/4 cup Sugar Syrup (For glazing)
Instructions
- Make the Blueberry Preserves: In a small pot, combine blueberries, 1 cup of sugar, and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat until the blueberries burst and thickens, then set aside to cool.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Mix softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth and set aside.
- Make the Dough: Mix warm milk and active dry yeast in a bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. In a larger bowl, combine flour, eggs, vanilla, and soft butter. Add yeast mixture and knead until soft and elastic.
- First Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Shape the Dough: Punch down the dough and roll it into a rectangle. Spread cream cheese filling and blueberry preserves evenly.
- Braid the Logs: Roll the dough tightly into a log, cut it in half lengthwise, and twist the two halves around each other.
- Second Rise: Place braided dough in a greased loaf pan, cover, and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Finish with Syrup: Brush sugar syrup over the hot babka immediately after removing it from the oven.
- Cool and Serve: Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Use fresh yeast for a proper rise. Adjust sugar in the preserves to taste. Flour the work surface to ease rolling and shaping.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American