Babka- The Sweet Taste of Home

A slice of toasty bread accompanies my meals.  This sweet yeast bread-"Babka"- is a dessert.  I took the recipe , substituted 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour, decreased the total sugar by 1/2 and decreased the butter by 1/2 to make a still luscious, lower calorie, less total sugar and whole grain version.  And the bread has raisins and walnuts!

Babka

(1 loaf-13 slices)

Dough
Mix 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl with dough hook in place.
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/8 teaspoon rapid rise yeast

Heat milk to 125 F.  Slowly add to dry mix in bowl.  Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
1/2 cup skim milk

Add 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, egg and buttery spread.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 egg, warmed by placing in a cup of warm water for a few minutes
3 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread

At low speed of electric mixer, slowly add flour, kneading after each addition, until dough leaves the sides of the bowl (about 8 minutes).  Place dough in a bowl greased with olive oil spray.  Turn to grease the top of the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise until double, about 45 minutes.
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Punch dough down.  On a floured surface, with a covered pin, roll to a rectangle, about 12 inches long and 1/4 inch high.  Spread with filling to about 1/2 inch from edges.

Filling
Puree raisins, sugar, buttery spread, cinnamon, salt and walnuts in a food processor.
1 cup raisins, soaked in warm water 10 minutes and drained
3 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery spread
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
6 tablespoon toasted walnuts
Using a spatula, spread filling on rolled dough to about 1/2 inch from edges.

With floured hands, roll filled dough to a skinny log.
With a sharp knife, cut dough in half lengthwise.
Braid 2 dough pieces.
Fold and place dough in a 9 inch loaf pan, greased with and olive oil spray.
Bake at 375 F. for 45 minutes. 

Glaze
In a saucepan, heat buttery spread and milk.  Add combined dry ingredients.
2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 1/2 tablespoon fat free evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
6 tablespoon confectioners sugar 
Pour glaze over the warm bread.  (I placed a piece of plastic wrap under the bread and lifted the plastic wrap up along the sides of the bread to contain the glaze.  As the bread cooled, I moved it along the plastic wrap to glaze the bottom of the bread.  The bread was sweet all over!)