Apple Babka: the easy bread recipe you’ll love

If you’re looking for the perfect fall bake, then this Apple Babka is definitely it! Infused with apple and cinnamon (quintessential fall flavors), it’s just what you need as the weather cools down. The Apple Babka is a sweet, dense loaf. It’s buttery and sweet, while the texture is just what you want in freshly baked bread. It might look expensive, but you only need a handful of pantry ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, eggs, apples, butter, and of course, cinnamon. Looking for sweet comfort food? This is the sweet recipe you should be baking this fall!

What is Babka?

Babka (pronounced bahk-kah) is a glazed sweet bread with a filling (usually apple cinnamon or chocolate) swirled through. The babka originated in the Polish Jewish community, back in the 1800s. Back then, leftover challah bread was filled with jam (or fruit preserves) or cinnamon. The bread was then rolled up and baked. Of course, today, the babkas are much richer than the original. It has more of a cake-like texture and is also a bit richer than you’d expect.

How to make Apple Babka

First, you will need to prepare the dough. Mix the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Then the dry flour is added and the batter is whisked until smooth. The dough is left to rise while you prepare the apple filling. This step is very simple. Chopped apple is sauteed with butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

Once the dough has rested, it’s rolled out and the filling is spread on top. The dough is rolled up and slice from top to bottom. These two parts will then be plated to form the classic plaited bread look. It’s now ready to be baked!

What is the best yeast for Apple Babka?

You can use either active dry or instant yeast. If you’re using dry yeast, you might need a longer rising time.

Expert Tips

If you want to make the Apple Babka in advance, you can let it rise in the fridge overnight and then prepare it the next day.

If you’d like to make this vegan, substitute the butter for vegan butter, the milk for almond milk, and the eggs for a vegan egg replacement.

How to store Apple Cinnamon Babka

The Apple Babka can be stored in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you want to serve it, you can reheat it in the microwave or the oven. But it really is best to serve the Apple Cinnamon Babka fresh out of the oven!

Can you freeze Apple Babka?

The baked and cooled babka can also be frozen. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating in the oven. When the babka has cooled, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, a layer of foil and then place it in a zip-top bag and freeze it. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Instructions

Combine warm milk with half of the sugar and fresh yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Add eggs, vanilla and salt. Whisk until fully combined.

Add the flour to the wet ingredients.

Use an electric whisk to mix the ingredients together until a batter forms.

Add the butter and whisk again until smooth (about 10 minutes). Cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Make a quick apple filling. Melting butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Add the chopped apples (peeled and cored), sugar and cinnamon. Cook for 3 minutes. Let cool down.

Roll out the dough to make a rectangle (around 30 by 40 cm).

Spread apple filling evenly onto the dough and roll the dough into a log.

Slice the dough in half lengthwise almost all the way up.

Then braid the dough into halves. Place into a baking mold, then set aside for 1 hour.

Brush apple babka with egg wash and sprinkle almond flakes on top.

Bake at 180C/350F for 60 minutes.

Notes

Make sure the Apple Babka cools down a bit before slicing into it.