Polish lemon cheese babka

2 cakes

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 Envelope active dry yeast
¼ cup Sugar
¼ cup Very warm water
3½ cup Flour,(or more) unsifted all purpose
¾ teaspoon Salt
8 ounces Cream cheese
½ cup Cottage cheese
1 Egg yolk
⅓ cup Chopped nuts
3 tablespoons Flour
3 tablespoons Butter, softened
3 tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Grated lemon rind
2 Eggs plus
2 Egg yolks
⅓ cup Warm milk
6 tablespoons Butter, softened
¼ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Grated lemon rind
¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
½ cup Raisins
Confectioner's sugar

Directions

CHEESE FILLING

CRUMB TOPPING

1. Sprinkle yeast and ½ ts. of the sugar over warm water in a 1 cup measure. Let stand till bubbly, about 10 minutes.

2. combine 2 cups of the flour, salt, lemon rind and the remaining sugar in large bowl; make a well in middle. Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a small bowl just to mix. Pour eggs, yest mixture and warm milk into well. Stir liquids into flour until smooth. Beat well.

3. gradually add softened butter, beating well. Stir in 1 more cup of the flour. Beat until the dough leaves side of bowl.

4. Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour.

5. Place dough in buttered bowl, turning to bring buttered side up; cover. Let rise in warm, draft free place, 1½ to 2 hours until double in volume.

6. While the dough is rising, make cheese filling. Beat cream cheese and cottage cheese in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth; beat in egg yolk and sugar. Stir in the grated lemon rind.

7. Make crumb topping; combine nuts, flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Grease 2-8 x 1 ½" layer pans.

8. When the dough has doubled, punch down; knead in raisins; divide dough into 4 equal parts; press 2 parts into the bottom and about ½" up the sides of each of the layer pans. Spread each with about 1 cup of the cheese filling.

9. Shape remaining dough into 8" circles; place on top of the cheese filling. Press spoon handle into dough around the sides to seal.

10. Sprinkle half the crumb topping over each Babka. Let rise in a warm place until dough reaches top of the pans, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

11. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 40 minutes or until cakes sound hollow when tapped. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. (Place foil loosely over crumb topping; invert onto rack, then turn right side up). Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Says to freeze one for later.

From the Family Circle Encyclopedia of Cooking typed by Mary Riemerman

Submitted By MARY RIEMERMAN On 02-24-95

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