Babka: Polish Holiday Bread

This sweet yeast bread is a favorite holiday treat in our family.

makes 4 loaves

 

4 cups evaporated milk, scalded   or   3 cups dry milk with boiling water added to make 4 cups liquid

 

Add 2/3 cup butter to hot milk and cool to lukewarm.

 

Mix 2 Tablespoons dry yeast (2 packets) into 1/2 cup warm water.

 

To the lukewarm milk add

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

7 yolks from large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel

8 cups bread flour.

yeast & water mixture

 

Beat until smooth & well blended. 

Add 1 1/3 cup golden raisins and enough more flour to make a dough you can knead.

 

Knead dough until soft and manageable.

Cover & let rise until double -- about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down. Shape into loaves, place in four greased loaf pans and let rise again until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
Preheat oven to 350. Brush tops of loaves with beaten egg yolk.
Bake 40-45 minutes, until nicely browned.

This information was placed on the web by Thomas J. Sienkewicz. If you have any questions about this document, you may contact him at tom@tomsiekewicz.com.