Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Divide the mixture into separate bowls and add food coloring to each, creating your desired pastel shades. Chill the colored cream cheese filling in the refrigerator while you prepare the dough.

Make Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. In a separate bowl, combine 2 teaspoons active dry yeast with 1 cup warmed milk (about 110°F), allowing it to foam for 5 minutes. Mix the yeast mixture with 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, then pour this into the flour mixture. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.

First Rise: Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, covering it with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm environment until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Shape Babka: Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Roll it out into a large rectangle, approximately 12x24 inches, score the surface, spread the pastel-colored cream cheese filling, and roll it tightly to form a log.

Twist and Place: Carefully twist the two halves of the dough together, creating a beautiful braid effect. Place the twisted babka into lined loaf pans, cover the pans with a kitchen towel and let them rise again for about 1 hour.

Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the babka loaves for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.

Finish with Sugar Syrup: Prepare a quick sugar syrup by heating equal parts of sugar and water until dissolved. Brush the warm loaves with the syrup, let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.