Apple Crumb Pie Babka Twist

An enriched dough with a delicious apple cinnamon filling and a browned butter crumb topping. Traditionally babka is made in a loaf pan, but I decided to twist things up a bit. This recipe makes 2 babka twists which are baked on a sheet pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Dough:

270 grams of Bread Flour 2 ¼ Cups
35 grams of Granulated Sugar About 3 Tablespoons
1 ½ Teaspoons of Instant Yeast
½ Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
120 ml of Warm Whole Milk ½ Cup
1 Large Whole Egg
2 Egg Yolks
84 grams of Room Temperature Unsalted Butter 6 Tablespoons

Apple Filling:

70 grams of Unsalted Butter 5 Tablespoons
4 Cups of Coarsely Grated Granny Smith Apples About 4 medium apples
66 grams of Granulated Sugar ⅓ Cup
66 grams of Light Brown Sugar ⅓ Cup
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch
¼ Teaspoon of Kosher Salt

Browned Butter Crumb Topping

57 grams of Unsalted Butter 4 Tablespoons
80 grams of All Purpose Flour ⅔ Cup
66 grams of Granulated Sugar ⅓ Cup
½ Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon of Kosher Salt

Instructions

Dough:

Place the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
Add the warm milk, whole egg and egg yolks and beat on low speed with the paddle attachment until the dough comes together, about 1-2 minutes.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter a piece at a time. After all the butter has been added to the bowl continue to beat until the butter is incorporated.
Switch to the dough hook and beat on medium speed (#4 on a Kitchen aid) for 9-12 minutes until the dough is smooth and the sides of the bowl are clean.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refridgerator to proof overnight.

Apple Filling

In a small bowl whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, salt and corn starch.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the grated apples and the sugar mixture. Stir with a spatula to combine.
Cook the mixture, stirring often. The apples will release some juice. Continue cooking until the juices evaporate and the mixture looks caramelized and thick.
Place in a bowl and cool to room temperature. This can be done a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Browned Butter Crumb Topping

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
In a small saucepan place the butter over low heat. Slowly melt the butter.
After it has completely melted you will start to hear popping sounds. Swirl the pan.
The butter will foam and the milk solids will begin to caramelize.
Begin to stir the butter constantly until it turns golden brown.
Add the butter to the dry ingredients and stir together until crumbs form.
The crumb topping can also be done a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Shaping the twists:

Roll out the dough to a rectangle measuring 18” x 10”.
Using an offset spatula spread the apple mixture over the dough, leaving about 1” without filling along one 18” side.
Tightly roll up the dough from the long side where the filling goes to the end. Pinch the dough to seal.
Cut the roll in half so you have 2 9” rolls.
Working with one roll at a time, cut each roll down the middle lengthwise.
Lay the 2 pieces side by side with the filling facing up. Twist the pieces together and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, approximately 12” x 16”.
Repeat with the second roll.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cover the twist loosely with plastic wrap and then a dish towel. Lest it rise for about 30 minutes, or until the twists are slightly puffed and spring back when pressed with your finger that has been dipped in flour.
After the second rising, brush the twists with the egg wash and cover with the crumb topping.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the interior temperature measures 190°. The twists should be golden brown. Be careful not to overbake or the twist wil be dry.
Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a rack to cool.
After about 15 minutes, carefully remove the twists from the pan and place them directly on the rack to cool.