Babka #3 pt 1

1 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 Cake Yeast
½ cup Warm Water; (110-F degrees)
2 cups Milk; scalded
1¼ cup Butter or Margarine; softened
5 Whole Eggs; divided
4 Egg Yolks
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Orange-flavored Liqueur; (optional)
Grated Zest of 2 Oranges
Grated Zest of 1 Lemon
9 cups All-purpose Flour; (up to 10)
1½ cup Currants
1½ cup Raisins
1½ cup Golden Raisins
1 cup Slivered Almonds; chopped
1 cup All-purpose Flour
4 tablespoons Butter or Margarine
½ cup Brown Sugar; firmly packed
1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions

BREAD

TOPPING

Makes Three 8-inch Babkas

The Cook and Kitchen Staff are offering you some of our best recipes from "Our Daily Bread" collection. Today's recipe is a traditional Polish Easter bread.

Please, don't think that you have to wait until April to serve this delicious bread. It's fantastic as a coffee cake for breakfast or served with tea for a light snack in the afternoon.

Place yeast in a small mixing bowl and pour warm water over it. Stir with a spoon to break up the yeast. Set aside for 3 to 5 minutes to proof.

In a small saucepan, scald milk. Add 1 cup butter or margarine, and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let stand to cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs and all 4 egg yolks with an electric mixer. Add sugar and salt, and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and pale. Add vanilla, orange- flavored liqueur (if used), orange and lemon zest, and the yeast mixture. Blend again.

Gradually beat in 4 cups flour. Add milk mixture alternately with 4 more 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.

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 and place in a warm area until dough rises enough to reach the top of the bowl, usually about 1 or 2 hours. Punch the dough down, re-cover the bowl, and allow to rise again.

Lightly butter 3 angel food or ring 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 between the baking pans.

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 the remaining egg, and brush the top of the dough.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-F degree oven 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 and store in air-tight bags to preserve. May freeze for up to 90 days.

Kitchen Staff Tips: If you know anyone who may think zest is a bar of soap, continued in part 2

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