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Easy Babka

Source of Recipe

from Footsie TOH


List of Ingredients

2 pkg. dry yeast (active or rapid rise, doesn't matter)
1/2 Cup warm water with pinch of sugar (warmed to temperature stated on yeast package)
1-1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 Cup sugar
5 egg yolks
3-1/2 to 4 Cups flour (I always use more, you'll have to go by look and feel)
1 tsp. salt
1 Cup golden raisins
1 tbsp. rum
3/4 Cup milk (warm to the same temperature as the water for the yeast)


Recipe

Cream butter and sugar; add egg yolks one at a time and 1 1/2 cups of flour; mix thoroughly.

Dissolve yeast in warm water; let set 5 minutes.

Add yeast mix, rum and salt, being careful not to let the salt touch the yeast.

Add milk and enough flour to form soft dough. (I alternate, 1/2 the milk, then about 1 cup flour, the rest of the milk and then another cup of flour.) Add raisins. Using KA mixer with dough hook, knead on speed 2 until soft dough forms. Adding small amounts of flour if necessary. Dough will climb up dough hook, just knock it back down and continue kneading. Probably takes about 5 minutes or so.

(If not using a stand mixer, knead till smooth, about 10 minutes.)

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and lightly knead in enough flour (probably only about 1/4 cup, but do it a couple tablespoons at a time) til dough can be formed into a smooth ball. (This is where the "feel" comes in. Adding too much flour will make the babka heavy.)

Place in greased bowl, turn to coat; cover and let rise till double, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn out of bowl onto lightly floured surface and shape; place in greased tube pan. Or cut in half and shape to fit 2 regular size loaf pans, or thirds to fit 3 medium foil loaf pans. If using loaf pans, sprinkle with streusel topping. (Mom brushed beaten egg yolk on top of hers) Cover and let rise till double, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 350ºF. 45 minutes for tube pan and full size loaf pans, about 30 minutes for foil loaf pans. Cover bread with foil after 15-20 minutes to keep it from getting too dark on top. Bread will sound hollow when lightly tapped with finger nail.

Dough rising:
In oven with light on (unless you have a gas stove, then the pilot light generates just the right amount of heat)
On top of oven with hood light on.
On a heating pad turned to low.
Place muffin tin or jelly roll pan upside down on top of stove, place loaf pans on top and turn oven on low heat (or when preheating oven