Babka
Traditional
Polish Easter bread. Serve as a coffee cake for breakfast or with tea. Makes 3 - 8
inch babkas ( 36 servings).
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| 1-1/4
cups margarine, softened 2 cups milk 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 5 eggs 4 egg yolks 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 1-1/2 cups currants 1-1/2 cups raisins 1-1/2 cups golden raisins 1 cup chopped blanched slivered almonds 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup all-purpose flour |
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Directions
1 Place yeast in a small bowl, and pour warm
water over
it. Stir with a spoon to break up the
yeast. Set aside
for 2 to 3 minutes.
2 In a small saucepan, scald milk. Add 1 cup
butter or
margarine, and stir until melted.
Remove from heat, and let cool
until lukewarm.
3 In a mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs and egg yolks
with an
electric mixer with a paddle
attachment. Add sugar and salt,
and continue to beat until mixture is
thick and pale. Add
vanilla, orange-flavored liqueur,
zests, and yeast mixture.
Combine. Beat in 4 cups flour
gradually. Add milk mixture
alternately with remaining 4 cups
flour while beating on medium
speed. Add up to an additional 1 cup
flour if the dough is
sticky. Mix in currants, raisins,
golden raisins, and almonds.
4 Transfer dough to a clean large bowl. Knead
using a
large wooden spoon until the dough
pulls away and doesn't
stick to the spoon, about 8 to 10
minutes. Transfer dough
to a large buttered bowl, and turn to
coat. Cover with plastic
wrap. Place in a warm place until dough reaches the
top of the bowl, about 1 to 2 hours.
Punch the dough
down, re-cover the bowl, and allow to
rise again.
5 Butter 3 angel food cake pans. In a small bowl,
combine 1 cup flour, 4 tablespoons
butter or margarine, brown
sugar, and cinnamon to form crumb
topping. Sprinkle evenly
among the 3 pans.
6 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
7 Punch the dough down again. Turn out onto a
lightly
floured surface. Knead for 1 minute.
Cut into thirds, and
transfer dough to prepared pans. Cover
loosely with plastic
wrap. Allow to rise to the top of pan.
Beat remaining egg,
and brush the top of the dough.
8 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until
golden
brown and hollow sounding when tapped,
about 30 to 45
minutes. Immediately turn out onto a
cooling rack so bread
does not stick to the pan. Cool.