My Ukrainian grandmother’s Cheesy Stuffed Babka recipe has made my family look forward to Sunday every week. Making this recipe as a child is one of my fondest memories, and I’m happy to pass down the kitchen tradition to my kids. If you’re looking for a way to bond with your kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews, making this yummy recipe is a great way to do that.

Spend a relaxing afternoon making dough, filling it with cheese, and watch it turn golden brown in the oven. This stuffed bread is best served warm because the cheese is so gooey, when sliced apart.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 pinch white sugar

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup lukewarm milk

3 eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Filling:

1 1/2 cups farmers cheese

1/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon dried lemon peel

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions:

Sprinkle the yeast and the pinch of sugar over the warm water; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Combine the 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, milk, and 3 eggs in a bowl with 1 cup of flour and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and beat for 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a round, and place it in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Beat together the farmers’ cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, sour cream, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and dried lemon peel in a bowl until smooth. Set the filling aside. Lightly oil a 10-inch fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt(R)).

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the cheese filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, starting from the long end; twist the dough 6 to 8 times to form a rope. Pinch the seams and ends closed and arrange the rope of dough in the greased pan. Cover loosely and let rise 1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake the babka until deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes; invert the babka onto a wire rack and remove the pan. Allow the babka to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

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Quick Tip: Keep all ingredients warm or at room temperature for the best results!

Recipe and Image courtesy of All Recipes .