Polish Cheese Babka Recipe
This Polish Cheese Babka is a rich, sweet bread filled with a creamy farmer’s cheese mixture, delicately flavored with vanilla and lemon. The dough is soft, buttery, and lightly sweet, while the filling adds a smooth, slightly tangy contrast. Perfect for holidays or special occasions.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Fluted tube pan (Bundt® pan)
- Rolling pin
- Wire rack
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Dough
- ¾ cup lukewarm milk
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 pinch white sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter melted
Filling
- ½ tsp dried lemon peel
- 1½ tbsp sour cream
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups farmers' cheese
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in warm water, stirring gently, and let it rest for about 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a separate bowl, mix butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, and eggs with 1 cup of flour until well combined.
- Add the yeast mixture, beating for a minute, then gradually incorporate the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour sparingly to prevent sticking.
- Shape it into a round, place it in a greased bowl, turning to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 1½ hours until doubled in size.
- For the filling, beat together farmer’s cheese, sugar, sour cream, an egg, vanilla, and dried lemon peel until smooth.
- Lightly grease a 10-inch Bundt® pan.
- Roll the dough into a 10x12-inch rectangle on a floured surface, brush with melted butter, and evenly spread the cheese filling.
- Roll it up from the long end, then twist it 6 to 8 times to create a rope, pinching the seams and ends closed.
- Place the dough in the prepared pan, cover loosely, and let it rise for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.
- Allow it to cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky while kneading, add flour a tablespoon at a time to avoid making it too dense.
- Let the babka cool fully before slicing to ensure the filling sets properly and doesn’t ooze out.
- For extra flavor, add raisins or chopped dried fruit to the cheese filling.