About the Recipe
What You'll Love
Ingredients
For the Dough:
1 cup warm milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
For the Filling:
2-3 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I used cortland apples)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup marzipan, grated
For the Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Preparation
Creating an Apple and Marzipan Babka involves a few steps, including making the dough, preparing the filling, and assembling the babka. I have broken this recipe up into easy to follow steps to make it less intimidating.
1. Prepare the Dough:
In a bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture, sugar, 3 1/2 cups of flour, salt, butter, and eggs. Mix until it forms a dough.
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.
2. Prepare the Filling:
In a bowl, mix the diced apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Grate the marzipan and set it aside.
3. Assemble the Babka:
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle.
Spread the grated marzipan evenly over the dough, leaving a border around the edges.
Evenly distribute the apple mixture over the marzipan.
Roll the dough tightly from one of the longer edges, creating a log.
Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise, exposing the layers.
Twist the two halves together, creating a braided effect.
Place the twisted dough into a greased loaf pan.
4. Bake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake the babka for 40-50 minutes or until it's golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
While the babka is baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves.
When the babka is done baking, brush the syrup over the top while it's still warm.
5. Cool and Serve:
Allow the babka to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy your delicious Apple and Marzipan Babka!
*tip, try it with vanilla icecream when still slightly warm, it'll make you reconsider apple pie.