Jewish Coffee Cake - Babka (Butter Recipe)

<< This traditional Jewish coffee cake or 'Babka' is a delicious dairy recipe made with yeast, butter, lemon and a creamy cheese filling. Prepare two cakes in round 9" pans and top with the excellent streusal topping recipe below. Fabulous and mouth-watering!

Ingredients for Coffee Cake Dough:

• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 pkg./packet dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 6 tbsp. butter, softened
• 2 tsp. lemon rind
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup raisins

Beat in half of the flour until smooth. A bit at a time, add remaining flour (enough so that you can handle the dough, leave out a 1/2 cup if you find that dough becomes too stiff) and knead well for 5 minutes. (use a standing mixer with dough hook, if desired - honestly, it's not necessary) Form into a ball and place into a large bowl that has been greased. Cover top of bowl with a tea towel or cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size for about 60-90 minutes.

Remove cloth and punch down dough. Cover again and let rise a second time until doubled in bulk. This will take about 45 minutes. Uncover and punch down dough again. Knead in the raisins.

Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon rind

Grease two 9" round layer pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumb Topping:

• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 3 tbsp. butter, softened
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Assemble Cakes: Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Press one part into bottom and sides of each pan. Spread about 1 cup cheese filling over dough in each pan. Shape remaining dough (remaining 2 pieces) into 9 inch circles, like a top pie crust to cover visible cheese filling in each pan. Place each circle on top of cheese filling and press edges to seal.

Sprinkle half of crumb topping over each babka.

Let rise in warm place for about one hour or until dough rises and reaches top of pan - NOT UNTIL DOUBLED!

Before baking, place a piece of tin foil, loosely, over top of each cake. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes.

Remove from oven, invert onto wire rack and then turn right side up. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Coffee Cake recipe yields: 2 cakes

Source: Spice and Spirit - The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook, A Lubavitch Women's Cookbook Publication. (terrific resource!)

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