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Blueberry Cream Cheese Babka Recipe

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  • Author: Chef
  • Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 loaves (serves 2-4 per loaf)
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This decadent Cheese Babka features a soft, enriched yeast dough filled with a creamy sweetened cream cheese mixture and luscious blueberry preserves. The dough is rolled, braided, baked to golden perfection, and finished with a sweet sugar syrup glaze, delivering a tender, flavorful pastry perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients

Blueberry Preserves

  • 3 cups blueberries
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Babka Dough

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar + 1 tsp sugar (divided)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 1 cup milk, warmed to 100-110°F
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft and cubed

Sugar Syrup

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water

Instructions

  1. Make Blueberry Preserves: Combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing some berries with the back of a spoon. Once thickened, refrigerate while preparing the dough.
  2. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and combined. Set aside until ready to fill the dough.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients for Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and kosher salt.
  4. Activate Yeast: Warm milk to 100-110°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the warm milk, 1 tsp sugar, and sprinkle yeast over the top. Stir lightly and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
  5. Add Wet Ingredients and Mix Dough: Add eggs, vanilla extract, and the flour mixture to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-low and mix for about 5 minutes until dough is smooth.
  6. Incorporate Butter: Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing on medium-low for about 4 minutes until butter is fully incorporated and dough is sticky but cohesive. Scrape bowl as needed.
  7. First Rise: Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size, or refrigerate overnight for a slower rise.
  8. Divide and Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Divide into two equal halves and shape each into a rectangle.
  9. Roll and Fill: Roll one half into a 12×16 inch rectangle. Spread half the cream cheese filling, leaving a small border on one long edge, then spread half the blueberry preserves also leaving a border on the same edge.
  10. Roll Up Dough: Starting from the long side without the border, roll the dough tightly into a log. If dough is sticky or warm, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
  11. Trim and Slice: Trim about 1 inch from each end of the log. Slice lengthwise down the middle to expose layers, creating two long halves.
  12. Braid Dough: Lay one half over the other, pressing lightly. Braid the two strips together down to the bottom, pressing lightly. Repeat this process with the second dough disc.
  13. Prepare Loaf Pans and Second Rise: Line two 9×5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, leaving overhang. Place braided dough into pans, pressing ends to fit. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
  14. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake loaves for approximately 40 minutes, until golden brown and a tester comes out clean.
  15. Make Sugar Syrup and Glaze: While baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool the syrup. Immediately after removing loaves from oven, brush loaves with sugar syrup to glaze.
  16. Cool: Let loaves cool a few minutes in the pans, then use parchment overhang to transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Refrigerating the dough overnight enhances flavor and makes it easier to work with.
  • If dough becomes too warm or sticky during shaping, chill it briefly before braiding.
  • You can substitute fresh blueberries with frozen if out of season, just thaw and drain excess liquid before cooking preserves.
  • Ensure the milk is not too hot to avoid killing the yeast; target 100-110°F for optimal yeast activation.
  • Leftover sugar syrup can be stored in the fridge and reheated to glaze other baked goods.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Jewish

Find it online: https://saracooking.com/blueberry-cream-cheese-babka-recipe/