Description
Mascarpone Cheese Babka is a rich, buttery bread with a smooth, creamy mascarpone filling. This moist and tender cake features beautiful swirls and is perfect for gatherings or as a sweet treat alongside coffee or tea.
Ingredients
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
250g mascarpone cheese
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
- Add eggs and warm milk. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead in softened butter gradually until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1½ to 2 hours.
- Mix mascarpone, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Keep chilled.
- Punch down dough and roll out on floured surface into a 10×14 inch rectangle.
- Spread mascarpone filling evenly, leaving a small border.
- Roll dough tightly from long side into a log.
- Slice lengthwise down the middle to expose filling and twist strands together with cut sides up.
- Place twisted loaf in greased loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
Knead until dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky.
Roll tightly and twist with cut sides up for defined swirls.
Cover loaf with foil if browning too fast in final baking minutes.
Can add nuts, chocolate, or fruit to filling but avoid overfilling.
Dough can be refrigerated overnight; bring to room temperature before final rise.
Store at room temp up to 2 days; refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months.
Reheat in oven or microwave with care to maintain texture.
Brush with sugar syrup after reheating for bakery-style finish.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: undefined
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
