Sweet and Lovely Babka Recipe
Babka is a type of sponge cake that is traditionally baked for Easter Sunday in the Slavic regions of the world such as Lithuania, Slovakia, Poland and Western Russia.
Some of you may or may not be surprised to know that there is a Jewish version of this sweet desert as well.
The standard babka recipe has a fruit filing of some kind and a glaze. Modern version of the babka recipe may have a chocolate or cheese filling.
Now that you know a little background behind this delicious dessert, here is the babka recipe. Enjoy!
Babka Recipe Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups milk
1 cake yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
5 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup white 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 − 10 cups all−purpose flour
1−1/2 cups currants
1−1/2 cups raisins
1−1/2 cups golden raisins
1 cup chopped slivered almonds
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all−purpose flour
Babka Recipe Cooking Instructions:
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.
In a small saucepan, scald milk. Add 1 cup butter or margarine, and stir until melted. Remove from heat, and let cool until lukewarm.
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 cup of 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. 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.
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. Preheat oven to 350F.
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. Bake 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.
As a recommendation with this babka recipe, I suggest enjoying this with a nice cold glass of milk. You don’t have to wait around until Easter either to enjoy this delight either. You can make it year around if you like.
Have a yummy day everyone.
Lisa
~Sweet and Lovely Babka Recipe~
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