Description

This Mascarpone Cheese Babka is a luscious, soft, and twisted yeast bread filled with a creamy mascarpone filling that combines sweetness, vanilla, and a hint of lemon zest. The dough is enriched with eggs and butter, yielding a tender crumb that pairs perfectly with the rich filling. Baked to a golden perfection, this babka is ideal for brunch, dessert, or a special treat with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 packet (7g) instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
½ cup (120ml) warm milk
60g unsalted butter, softened

Filling

250g mascarpone cheese
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast until evenly distributed.
Add wet ingredients to dry: Add the eggs and warm milk to the flour mixture, then mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead in butter: Gradually knead the softened butter into the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic; this should take about 8–10 minutes by hand or with a mixer.
First rise: Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1½ to 2 hours.
Prepare filling: In a separate bowl, mix mascarpone cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Keep chilled until ready to use.
Shape the dough: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a 10×14 inch rectangle.
Spread filling: Evenly spread the chilled mascarpone filling over the dough rectangle, leaving a small border at the edges.
Roll up dough: Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log shape, encasing the filling.
Slice and twist: Using a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise down the middle to expose the filling and twist the two strands together with the cut sides facing up to create the classic babka shape.
Second rise: Place the twisted loaf into a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffed.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake the babka for 40–45 minutes until it turns golden brown and is cooked through.
Cool and serve: Allow the babka to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally dust the top with powdered sugar before serving warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Using instant yeast speeds up the rising process, but you can substitute with active dry yeast by proofing it in warm milk first.
Make sure the milk is warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
If the butter is too cold, it will be difficult to knead evenly into the dough; soften it beforehand.
Chilling the filling helps it spread smoothly and keeps it from melting into the dough prematurely.
For a more pronounced lemon flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon juice along with the zest.
Store leftover babka in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
Dust with powdered sugar just before serving for a pretty presentation.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Jewish Eastern European

Keywords: mascarpone babka, sweet yeast bread, mascarpone filling, twisted bread, Jewish dessert, brunch bread, creamy babka