Title: Lemon-Cheese Babka
Categories: Bread
Yield: 1 Servings
| 1 | | Envelope active dry yeast |
| 1/4 | c | Sugar |
| 1/4 | c | Very warm water |
| 3 1/2 | | To 4 cups all purpose flour |
| 3/4 | ts | Salt |
| 2 | ts | Grated lemon rind |
| 2 | | Eggs plus 2 egg yolks |
| 1/3 | c | Warm milk |
| 6 | tb | Butter or margarine, softened |
| 1/2 | c | Raisins Powdered sugar Cheese filling: |
| 8 | oz | Pkg cream cheese |
| 1/2 | c | Cottage cheese |
| 1 | | Egg yolk |
| 1/4 | c | Sugar |
| 1 | ts | Grated lemon rind Crumb Topping: |
| 3 | tb | Flour |
| 1/3 | c | Chopped nuts |
| 3 | tb | Butter or margarine, softened |
| 3 | tb | Sugar |
| 1/4 | ts | Ground cinnamon |
1. Sprinkle yeast and 1/2 tsp of the sugar over very warm water in a 1 cup
measure. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand until bubbly, about 10
minutes. 2. Combine 2 cups of the flour, salt, lemon rind and the remaining
sugar in a large bowl; make a well in the middle. Beat eggs and egg yolks
in a small bowl just to mix. Pour eggs, yeast mixture and warm milk into
well. Stir liquids into flour until smooth. Beat well. 3. Add softened
butter gradually, beating well. Stir in 1 more cup of the flour. Beat until
dough leaves the side of the bowl. 4. Knead on a lightly floured surface;
until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. 5. Press dough into a buttered
large bowl, turn to bring buttered side up; cover. Let rise in a warm
place, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume. 6. While the dough is
rising, make Cheese Filling: Beat cream cheese and cottage cheese in a
small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; beat in egg yolk and sugar.
Stir in lemon rind. 7. Make Crumb Topping: Combine nuts, flour, butter,
sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Grease two 8 x 1 1/2 inch pans. 8. When
dough has doubled, punch down, knead in raisins; divide dough into four
equal parts; press two parts into the bottoms and about 1/2 inch up the
sides of the prepared pans; spread each with about 1 cup of the cheese
filling. 9. Shape remaining dough into 2 8-inch circles; place on top of
cheese filling. Press the handle of a spoon into dough around edges to
seal. 10. Sprinkle half the crumb topping over each. Let rise in a warm
place until dough reaches the top of the pans, about 1 hour. 11. Bake in a
preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes; or until the cakes sound hollow
when tapped. Cool on a wire rack. (Place foil loosely over the crumb
topping; invert onto rack, then turn right side up.) Let cool at least 30
minutes before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. From: Pat Stockett
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