Apple Cinnamon Babka

A mildly sweet cinnamon babka that is toasty on the outside but soft and moist in the inside. While it might be time-consuming, it is not a challenging desert to make, and the end result is very rewarding.

Common Household Items:

1. Rolling pin
2. 9x5 inch loaf pan
3. Stand or Hand mixer
4. Bowls and pan for ingredient preparation
5. Oven
6. Microwave

Ingredients:

1. ⅔ cup whole milk warmed up
2. 1 (7g) standard packet of Instant Yeast
3. ⅓ cup granulated sugar
4. 5 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, sliced into 1 tbsp pieces.
5. 2 large eggs (egg whites reserved for topping and filling)
6. 1 tsp salt 
7. 2 and ⅔ cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1. 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
2. 3 large apples peeled and thinly sliced
3. 2 tsp lemon juice
4. ¼ cup all-purpose flour
5. 3 tsp ground cinnamon
6. 1 tsp ground ginger
7. ¼ tsp salt
8. 2 tsp vanilla extract
9. 1 cup brown sugar
10. 1 egg white (reserved from making the dough)
11. ½ roasted walnuts chopped
12. ¼ maple syrup

Whisk together the warm milk, yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in a bowl and let it rest for 5 minutes. After letting it rest, slowly add the remaining sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt and 1 cup of flour into the bowl. Beat on low speed and add another 1 cup of flour. As the ingredients began to mix together, beat at medium speed. Add ½ cup of flour and beat until the dough is fully incorporated. If the dough still looks wet or sticky add another tbsp of flour. 

On a smooth lightly floured surface, knead out your dough. If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle a dash of flour on the dough and your workspace. On the other hand, If the dough becomes too dry add a drop of water until there are no severe cracks in the dough or excess flour. After kneading, if you poke the dough, it should slowly bounce back.

Grease your bowl with a light layer of nonstick spray and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a towel, aluminum foil, or wax paper and allow the dough to rise in a warm environment for 3 hours or until it doubles in size. 

Prepare the filling as the dough reaches the end of its rising time. Add the sliced apples, cinnamon, and ¼ maple syrup into a bowl and mix. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a small pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the apple mix into the pot and stir until the apples are slightly softened. Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter in a microwavable bowl. Stir brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, vanilla extract,1 egg white, and butter into a bowl. Set aside.

When the dough has finished rising, press it down to release air. Flour your hands, work surface and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a 12x16-inch rectangle. After, carefully spread the cinnamon filling on top. Add the apples and walnuts on top of the cinnamon layer. Make sure not to put filling on the edges of the dough or to overstuff it otherwise your roll will overflow when shaping.

Grease your 9x5 inch loaf pan. Then, using floured hands, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam together, fold it in half and twist it to form a figure 8. Place it in the prepared loaf pan.

Cover the babka with a towel, aluminum foil, or wax paper. Allow it to rise for 1.5 hours or until puffy. Use the remaining egg wash to brush the surface of the babka. Using a toothpick poke a few holes over the top of the loaf to allow steam to escape. 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool before slicing. Cover the babka and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or at room temperature for 2-3 days.