Orly's Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Babka

Recipe makes 2 babkas.

Dough Starter:
3/4 cup (110g)  Manhattan Blend
3 Tbsp (20g) dry yeast
1/2  cup (110ml) warm milk (105–115°)

Dough:
1/2 scant cup (85g) sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cups (220g) Manhattan Blend
7 Tbsp (100g) softened butter

Extra gluten free flour for rolling

Filling:

Apple Filling

200g sugar
100g butter
28g apple cider juice
11g lemon juice
3 tbsp. cornstarch
7 slice thin apples

Cinnamon Filling
½ cup (100g) tightly packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp (9g) cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tbsp (15g) butter melted

Topping:
Honey Syrup
300g honey
100g sugar
2g Citric acid
4g salt
400g water
Cake Crumbs (see coffee cake recipe)

Heat: Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).  Grease a rectangular loaf pan.

Mix: In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine the dough starter ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes.  Mix Manhattan Blend, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.  Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl and mix together on low speed for 2 minutes.  Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated.  Slowly add the softened butter and mix all ingredients together until it forms a smooth shiny dough.

Filling:  Refrigerate dough until it is firm and easy to roll out.   While the dough is in the fridge, prepare the filling.  

Cinnamon Sugar Filling: Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Apple Filling: Make caramel with the sugar, butter and little water. When the caramel turn a light golden color, stir in the lemon juice and the apple cider. Add the sliced apples and let them cook for 7 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch with little water and add to the caramelized apples. Stir and let cook for 3 minutes until thickens. Cool down the filling before spreading on the babka.

Shape: Using Manhattan Blend or white rice flour, turn the dough out onto a heavily floured work surface.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 2cm thickness. Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter or oil, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the top edge. Then, generously cover the surface of the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 3/4 inch border along the top edge. Add the caramalized apples on top of the cinnamon mixture.  Beginning with the long edge nearest you, carefully roll the dough into a tight cylinder, and then twist the cylinder into a loose knot.  Transfer dough into loaf pan to rise.  

Proof and Bake: Let the babka sit in a warm area (80–100°F or 40-45°C )  for 30 minutes or until doubles in size.   If you have leftover gluten free cookies or cake, grind them into crumbs and top the babka with the crumbs.  Or make your own crumb/streusel topping.   Bake at 350°F (180°C) until the outside of the babka is golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. While the babka is baking, make the Honey Syrup. Boil honey, sugar, citric acid, salt, and water for 3 minutes . Cover for 15 minutes with plastic wrap before using.

After the babka is finished baking, pour the honey syrup on top of the hot babka, to let it seep into the dough.