Description
This Mascarpone Cheese Babka is a luscious, soft sweet bread filled with a creamy mascarpone mixture and optional chocolate chips. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, this Eastern European-inspired babka combines rich textures and subtle flavors in a beautifully twisted loaf that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Filling
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (optional)
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine warm milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, stirring until a dough forms. Knead in the softened butter, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This should take about 8–10 minutes by hand or 5–6 minutes using a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- First Rise: Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare the Filling: While the dough rises, mix the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest in a bowl until smooth. Set this filling aside.
- Shape the Babka: Once risen, punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Spread the mascarpone filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log.
- Twist the Loaf: Slice the log lengthwise to expose the layers, then twist the two halves together with the cut sides facing up. Carefully place the twisted dough into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover and let it rise again for 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat and Brush: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the top of the babka gently with the prepared egg wash to give it a shiny, golden crust.
- Bake: Bake the babka for 35–40 minutes or until it is golden brown and cooked through. If it starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover the top with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent burning.
- Cool: Let the babka cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This ensures the filling sets and the texture is perfect.
Notes
- For an extra touch of sweetness, drizzle the cooled babka with simple syrup or dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Babka stores well when wrapped tightly and can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- You can omit the chocolate chips for a pure mascarpone cheese flavor or substitute with nuts for added crunch.
- Make sure the milk is warm but not hot when activating the yeast to avoid killing the yeast.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 2–2.5 hours rising time)
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Eastern European-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
