Email to Stella      

Yeast: Babka (Festive Bread)

Source of Recipe

Polish Cooking by Marianna Olszewska Heberle


Recipe Introduction

A cross between cake and sweet bread, is often baked forEaster.

List of Ingredients

3 pk (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (3
-Tbsp)
3/4 c Warm water (110F)
1 tb Plus 1 cup sugar
About 7 3/4 cups all-purpose
-flour
1 1/2 c Milk
1 1/4 c Unsalted butter or margarine
6 Eggs
2 Egg yolks
1 1/2 ts Salt
2 Egg whites
Topping:
1/4 c Sugar
1/2 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/4 c Unsalted butter,chilled



Recipe

Grease side and bottom of 2 (10 inch) tube pans. Prepare Topping;set aside. In a shallow, medium bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup flour; stir to combine. Cover; let stand in a warm place 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. Heat milk and butter or margarine in a small saucepan until melted. Let stand until mixture cools to warm. In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and remaining 1 cup sugar until pale and frothy.

Add cooled milk mixture, salt and yeast mixture. Beat unil smooth.

Gradually beat in 4 1/2 cups flour. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead dough into a soft, smooth dough. Divied dough in 1/2. Arrange 1 part dough in each greased pan. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly beat 2 egg whites in a small bosl until foamy. Brush beaten egg whites on top of dough. Evenly sprinkle Topping over dough. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserte in centre comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 3 to 4 minutes on racks. Turn out of pans; cool completely on racks. Frost with Powdered Sugar Icing if desired.
YIELD: Makes two (10 inch) cakes.

Topping: In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Powdered Sugar Icing: 2 egg whites 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar 1/2 tsp lemon juice

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating constantly. Beat 10 minutes or until glossy. Add lemon juice; beat 2 minutes or until icing stands up in soft peaks. Makes about 1 1/4 cup icing.