Babka I

by

Description

Traditional Polish Easter bread. Serve as a coffee cake for breakfast or with tea. The recipe makes 3 large loaves.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 (0.6 ounce) cake cake yeast
  • ½ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 4 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (Optional)
  • 3 tablespoons grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 10 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
  • 1 ½ cups dried currants
  • 1 ½ cups raisins
  • 1 ½ cups golden raisins
  • 1 cup chopped slivered almonds
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan
  2. heat milk until just below boiling. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat
  3. and let cool until lukewarm.
  4. Place cake yeast in a small bowl; pour 1/2 cup lukewarm water over the yeast. Stir with a spoon to break up the yeast slightly; set aside.
  5. In a mixing bowl
  6. beat 4 eggs and egg yolks with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup sugar and salt
  7. and continue to beat until mixture is thick and pale. Stir in vanilla
  8. orange liqueur
  9. zests
  10. and yeast mixture. Beat in 2 cups flour on low speed; when incorporated
  11. add 2 more cups of flour and mix until combined. Add cooled milk mixture alternately with an additional 4 cups flour
  12. beating on medium-low speed.
  13. If the dough is very sticky
  14. add up to 1 cup of flour. Mix in currants
  15. raisins
  16. golden raisins
  17. and almonds.
  18. Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface and knead about 8 to 10 minutes
  19. adding reserved flour if needed. Shape dough into a ball. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl
  20. and turn to coat. Cover with greased plastic wrap.
  21. Place in a warm place and allow it to rise until dough has doubled
  22. about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down
  23. re-cover the bowl
  24. and allow to rise again for an additional 1 1/2 hours.
  25. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter 3 tube pans.
  26. In a small bowl
  27. combine 1 cup flour
  28. 1/2 cup brown sugar
  29. and cinnamon. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter to form crumb topping. Sprinkle evenly among the 3 pans.
  30. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Cut dough into thirds. Flatten each piece of dough into a rectangle and roll it up into a log
  31. pinching the seam to seal. Lay each log seam-side up in the prepared pans
  32. pinching ends together to form rings. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
  33. Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Before baking
  34. gently brush egg wash over each loaf.
  35. Bake babkas in preheated oven until until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped
  36. about 30 to 45 minutes. Immediately turn out onto a cooling rack so bread does not stick to the pan. Cool completely before slicing.

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 4 hrs 55 mins

Servings: 24

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