Cream Cheese Cranberry Babka

A cranberry vanilla tea is wrapped into this twisted, sweet babka bread along with cream cheese for a perfect holiday treat.

Photo : honestcooking.com

A brioche-like sweet bread made with yeast, babka is typically filled with chocolate or cinnamon. This sweet bread has been a favorite of mine for many years, especially since Jerry and Elaine visited a bakery on the Dinner Party episode of Seinfeld!

Ingredients
Dough

• 1 cup Milk
• 4 Celestial Seasonings Cranberry Vanilla Wonderland Teabags
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 2¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
• 3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract or paste Coupons
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ cup Sugar
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened

Filling

• 1 cup fresh or frozen Cranberries
• ½ cup dried Cranberries
• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground Cinnamon
• ½ cup Cranberry Juice or Water
• ½ cup Walnut pieces, toasted
• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup Sugar

Instructions
Dough:

1. In a small saucepan, gently warm milk with the 1 Tbsp of Sugar to simmer, about 5 minutes, making sure the sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and then add in the 4 Cranberry Vanilla Wonderland Teabags. Steep for at least 10 minutes. The longer you can steep the tea, the richer the flavor.
3. Once the infused milk is ready, discard teabags and test the temperature of the milk, if it's too cold, then gently warm milk up to simmer, milk should just be warm (between 95 - 115°F).
4. Sprinkle the Yeast over the warm milk and allow the yeast to rest for 5 - 10 minutes or until it bubbles and thickens.
5. In a large bowl, add the Milk mixture, Flour, Eggs, Vanilla, Salt, Sugar and softened Butter.
6. Using the dough hook attachment of a stand mixer (or can be mixed using a wooden spoon), mix all ingredients until well combined. Dough will be slightly sticky.
7. Lightly butter/grease a large, clean bowl, transfer the dough, rolling it around to coat dough on all sides. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for about 1½ - 2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Cranberry Filling:

1. While the dough is rising, you can make the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add together both Cranberries, Butter, Vanilla Cinnamon and Cranberry Juice (or Water). Cook for about 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is a thick jam-like mixture. Remove from Heat and allow to cool.
2. In a dry skillet, toast Walnuts for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Add the Walnuts to the Cranberry mixture and set aside.

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

1. Mix together the softened Cream Cheese and ? cup Sugar together until well blended. Set aside.

To Finish Assemble the Babka:

1. Line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, punch down and roll into approximately an 18 - 15 rectangle.
3. Spread the sweetened Cream Cheese over dough, leaving about ½ inch border along one short side.
4. Add the Cranberry mixture over the Cream Cheese, slightly marbling as you spread.
5. Starting with the filling covered short end, steadily and evenly roll it up, sealing the edge.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut dough in half, lengthwise. Turn dough cut side up and place beside each other.
7. Starting in the middle, twist dough keeping the cut side up and seal/pinch dough to seal at end. Repeat from middle to end for other side.
8. Very carefully transfer dough to the prepared, parchment lined loaf pan.
9. ........................

For full instructions please see : http://honestcooking.com/cream-cheese-cranberry-babka/

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