Cinnamon Babka

My morning walks just got a whole lot cuter.  

These little cuties now reside at a house that's along my morning walking route and I just cannot walk by them without smiling.😁🐮  I find myself looking forward to my walks even more now because I know that these sweet cows will be at their fence, ready to greet me when I go past every morning.🚶🏻‍♀️   

Thank goodness for my bovine motivation to exercise because I've been baking - and consuming - way more cinnamon babka than I should lately.🤣  All the extra miles are totally worth it though - this soft, warm, cinnamony, bread is crazy delicious.  And even though it looks fancy dancy and kind of complicated - follow my step by step dough twisting tutorial and you'll have your own beautiful cinnamon babka loaf.   

Cinnamon Babka
Dough
2 cups + 3 Tablespoons flour (285 grams) 
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt 
6 Tablespoons milk, warmed to 110°F 
2 teaspoons instant yeast 
1 egg
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 
5 teaspoons cinnamon 
1 Tablespoon flour 
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon canola oil 

Glaze
1 egg beaten + 1 teaspoon water

Streusel Topping
2 Tablespoons flour 
1 Tablespoon brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter 

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt in bowl of stand mixer. 

Combine warmed milk and yeast.  Let bloom for 15 minutes. 

Add yeast to mixer along with egg, oil and vanilla. 

Knead with dough hook until combined.  Let rest 5 minutes.  

Knead 3 more minutes - adding more milk if not soft enough. 

Place dough in greased bowl.  

Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.  

Combine filling ingredients.  

Roll dough to a 14x14" square.  

Spread filling over dough.  

Roll dough starting with long side.  

With seam facing up - slice dough along seam.  ​Place halves in X shape with layering facing up.

Twist the sections together above and below the middle of the X.

Compress the twist to the length of pan and gently lift into greased pan.  

Cover and let rest 1 1/2 hours.  

Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt for streusel.  

Cut in butter until crumbly.  

Brush babka with egg wash. 

​Sprinkle streusel on top.  

​

Bake 45 minutes at 350.  Tent with foil halfway through baking.  

Let cool 15 minutes in pan before removing babka to cool completely.  

​Ciao!

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