Apple Cinnamon Babka

Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining sugar, the butter, egg yolks, salt, and 1 cup (125g) flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another 1 cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together. As the mixer runs, add another 2–4 Tablespoons of flour depending on how wet the dough looks. This should be a very soft and almost creamy-feeling dough.

Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 6-8 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 6-8 full minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or work surface to make a soft, slightly tacky dough.

1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 3–4 hours or until nearly double in size.

Towards the end of rise time, prepare the filling: Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the apples. Stir and cook until the apples are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice to help prevent browning. Set aside.

For the rest of the filling, melt remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Stir in brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until crumbly and combined. Stir in the egg white.

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a 12×16-inch rectangle. Carefully spread the cinnamon filling mixture on top. Add the apples in a single layer. Using floured hands, tightly roll up the dough to form a 16-inch long log. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Pinch the ends together. Place in prepared loaf pan.

2nd Rise: Cover shaped babka with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until it’s puffy and nearly reaches the top of the loaf pan, about 1–1.5 hours.

Towards the end of rise time, prepare the crumble topping: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Add the cold butter and using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Place a baking sheet on a lower oven rack to catch any juices or crumbles that may drip.

Carefully brush the surface of the babka with last remaining egg white. Using a toothpick, poke 10–12 holes all over the top of the loaf. Sprinkle with crumble topping.

Bake: Bake for 60–65 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you gently tap on the loaf, it should sound hollow. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. For neat slices, cool completely before slicing. A serrated knife is best for slicing.

Cover leftover babka tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.