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The best blueberry cream cheese babka/ Easy babka bread

April 2, 2022 by JAYANTHY 8 Comments

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The best blueberry cream cheese Babka is, prepared with a yeast-leavened dough. It is rolled out, filled with fillings, braided, and baked to perfection.

Babka is a sweet braided bread or cake filled with sweet spreads. It is a basic bread or brioche recipe used. So it is a lot like bread with a much sweeter filling.

You can follow any bread or brioche recipe as per your wish. For this babka recipe, I chose my favourite Sweet Milk Bread recipe. Also, the two fillings are Easy Blueberry jam and cream cheese filling. Trust, the combination of the two spreads was delicious and finger-licking good. 

Why is Babka easy to make?

Baking babka is simple and easy as it needs a handful of ingredients in the pantry. The filling is purely one’s optional and endless. As this is my first Babka recipe in my blog, you can expect more variations of babkas in the future. I’ve chalked down my list of variations, which I will share in the variation section.

What is The blueberry cream cheese babka made of?

  • all-purpose flour
  • yeast
  • milk
  • butter
  • sugar
  • salt
  • Easy Blueberry jam
  • cream cheese

How is Best blueberry cream cheese babka made?

The making of Babka is the same as making a regular bread recipe. Bloom the yeast in lukewarm milk. Add all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt and combine well in a stand mixer. Then add the bloomed yeast milk mixture and run the mixer until it forms a dough. Then add the milk and let it mix until it forms a smooth, shiny dough. Transfer the dough into a bowl and cover well for the first proof. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to rise. Wait until the dough has well risen. Now punch the dough to deflate the gas.

Rolling the dough

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle according to your pan size. Use a spoon or an offset spatula spread cream cheese over the rolled rectangle dough. Now spread blueberry jam above the cream cheese. Using both hands roll up the rectangle as shown and seal well.

Shaping the dough

Using a knife, gently cut the log leaving the top edge shown. Divide the halves, with the cut layers facing up. Now plait the dough as shown and seal well. Gently lift the dough into the loaf pan. Squeeze the end of the dough and place it. Cover the pan for a second rise until it rises doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 180 * C and bake the babka dough for 30 to 35 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for only eight to ten minutes. Transfer the babka from the pan onto a cooling rack. Smear some butter on the babka and cover the bread with a kitchen towel. Do not slice immediately. Wait at least six to eight hours to cut a perfect slice.

Filling variations for babka

Filling for babka is purely optional. Traditionally the filling will be melted chocolate and cinnamon. As I was going through social media, I could see repeated chocolate filling and very few blueberry compotes babkas. I chose to fill the babka with blueberry jam and cream cheese filling. You can also fill butter and jam. It is a good combo, and my next try would be that. Also, apple and cinnamon and all berries compote or jam are perfect for the babka filling. Chocolate with nuts and dried fruits with cream cheese or butter would also be a yummy filling.

Some savoury fillings for babka.

Some savory fillings are Pesto sauce with ricotta cheese, onion with mozzarella, mint chutney with butter, etc. You can try grated vegetables with any spicy chutneys. Potatoes with cheese are also my choice.

Let’s see step-by step preparation of the best blueberry cream cheese babka.

In a stand mixer add all-purpose flour, salt and sugar as shown. Gently mix the flour mixture on low speed for few seconds. Now add bloomed yeast mixture ( add 1 1/2 tsp yeast in 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk ) to the flour mixture and run the stand mixer for a minute.

Then add 1 cup whole milk to the flour mixture and run the stand mixer for five to six minutes. Now switch off the power. Scrape the dough from all the sides until all the dough mixture combines well. Add a teaspoon of unsalted room temperature butter and start kneading on high speed for four to five minutes.

You can see that the smooth, soft, shiny dough is ready. Check the dough by Window Pane Test. Just stretch the dough and see if the dough doesn’t break. If so the dough is perfect.

Grease a bowl and transfer the dough and smear oil on top of the dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or cling wrap.

Allow the dough to rise for 11/2 to 2 hours or until it doubles in size. Punch down the dough to deflate the air.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle according to your pan size.

Use a spoon or an offset spatula spread cream cheese over the rolled rectangle dough.

Now spread blueberry jam above the cream cheese.

Using both hands roll up the rectangle as shown and seal well.

Using a knife, gently cut the log leaving the top edge shown.

Divide the halves, with the cut layers facing up.

Now twist the dough as shown and seal well.

Gently lift the dough into the loaf pan. Squeeze the end of the dough and place it. Cover the pan for a second rise until it rises doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 180 * C and bake the babka dough for 30 to 35 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for only eight to ten minutes.

Serving suggestion

Transfer the babka from the pan onto a cooling rack. Smear some butter on the babka and cover the bread with a kitchen towel. Do not slice immediately. Wait at least six to eight hours to cut a perfect slice. Serve as it with a cuppa coffee or milk or toast the slice.

How to store The best blueberry cream cheese babka?

If you make big batches ahead of the holidays and want to spend quality time with family and friends, this Babka is the perfect recipe to make ahead and store. Before wrapping with the cling film, let it cool completely. Freeze it, and it will stay fresh for up to three months. Before serving, thaw to room temperature and microwave for a few minutes, or toast on a gas top.

More bread recipes you may like to try

Sweet Buttermilk Bread /Eggless Bread

Sandwich Bread (APF/WWF) Eggless Bread

Whole Wheat Bread/ Eggless Bread

Homemade Scones Recipe

Eggless Dried Fruit Bread Recipe

Eggless Butterless Banana Bread

Sweet Milk Bread

How to make Star bread

If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/ or comment below, which means a lot to me. Happy Baking!

The Best blueberry cream cheese babka

Jayanthy Asokan
It is the most delicious recipe for Baka filled with blueberry jam and cream cheese filling. It is perfect for the holidays and breakfast and brunch for the kid's lunch box.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Proofing Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 15 mins
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Eastern European
Servings 5
Calories 385.7 kcal

Equipment

  • Microwave Convection Oven
  • Stand mixer
  • 12" loaf pan
  • Wide bowl
  • Rolling Pin
  • Spatula

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cup milk (lukewarm) ( ¼ cup milk for blooming the yeast)
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1½ tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tbsp butter

For filling

  • 3 tbsp cream cheese
  • 3 tbsp  Easy Blueberry jam 

Instructions
 

  • In a stand mixer add all-purpose flour, salt and sugar as shown. Gently mix the flour mixture on low speed for few seconds. Now add bloomed yeast mixture ( add 1 1/2 tsp yeast in 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk ) to the flour mixture and run the stand mixer for a minute.
  • Then add 1 cup whole milk to the flour mixture and run the stand mixer for five to six minutes. Now switch off the power. Scrape the dough from all the sides until all the dough mixture combines well. Add a teaspoon of unsalted room temperature butter and start kneading on high speed for four to five minutes.
  • You can see that the smooth, soft, shiny dough is ready. Check the dough by Window Pane Test. Just stretch the dough and see if the dough doesn’t break. If so the dough is perfect.
  • Grease a bowl and transfer the dough and smear oil on top of the dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or cling wrap.
  • Allow the dough to rise for 11/2 to 2 hours or until it doubles in size. Punch down the dough to deflate the air.
  • Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle according to your pan size.
  • Use a spoon or an offset spatula spread cream cheese over the rolled rectangle dough.
  • Now spread blueberry jam above the cream cheese.
  • Using both hands roll up the rectangle as shown and seal well.
  • Using a knife, gently cut the log leaving the top edge shown.
  • Divide the halves, with the cut layers facing up.
  • Now twist the dough as shown and seal well.
  • Gently lift the dough into the loaf pan. Squeeze the end of the dough and place it. Cover the pan for a second rise until it rises doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 * C and bake the babka dough for 30 to 35 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for only eight to ten minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTION

  • Transfer the babka from the pan onto a cooling rack. Smear some butter on the babka and cover the bread with a kitchen towel. Do not slice immediately. Wait at least six to eight hours to cut a perfect slice. Serve as it with a cuppa coffee or milk or toast the slice.

Notes

Firstly ,first proof is important to allow the yeast and gluten to develop and it helps in enhancing the flavour of the Bread.
And the second proof is also important to get a high risen airy and light Bread Loaf.
Do not over- proof the babka bread dough as it result in an un pleasant yeast flavour.
Do not over – proof at second stage as it end up with a babka loaf where the crust separates from the Loaf.
Always buy good branded fresh yeast.
Home-made Babka bread will stay fresh for two to three days only on the kitchen counter. You can freeze it for up to two months. Before serving, thaw babka and serve with cuppa milk or toast the slice with butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 2sliceCalories: 385.7kcalCarbohydrates: 71.1gProtein: 10.4gFat: 6.4gSaturated Fat: 3.4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 14.8mgSodium: 281.4mgPotassium: 133.7mgFiber: 3.2gSugar: 7.7gVitamin A: 186.8IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 22.6mgIron: 3.9mg
Keyword babka, blueberry babka, bueberry cream cheese babka, blueberry,
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Filed Under: Baked Goodies, Breads Tagged With: baked goodies, blueberry cream cheese bread, BREADS, breakfast, brunch

Previous Post: « Easy Blueberry Jam/ How to make blueberry jam without pectin
Next Post: Fresh Mango ice cream/ how to make homemade mango ice cream »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Leander Fernandes

    April 3, 2022 at 8:26 am

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
    • JAYANTHY

      April 4, 2022 at 5:18 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  2. Kishore Asokan

    April 12, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    5 stars
    Tasted it, and it was yummy!

    Reply
    • JAYANTHY

      April 15, 2022 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks much for your feedback!

      Reply
  3. Tharrun Sridhar

    June 13, 2022 at 9:00 am

    5 stars
    Wow.. Looks yummy
    Will taste this for sure!!

    Reply
    • JAYANTHY

      June 13, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Robyn Waxman

    December 23, 2022 at 3:13 pm

    Great recipe. Very versatile in that you can add any filling you like (we a made sweet potato pie version), make mini versions in a muffin pan, and use an overnight brioche bread recipe to make it 2x as great as it already is.

    Reply
    • JAYANTHY

      December 24, 2022 at 5:35 am

      Glad you liked it! Thanks for trying out the recipe!

      Reply

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