Babka recipe

Babka is a sweet spongy yeast cake that is traditionally baked for Easter Sunday. Babka originated in Eastern Europe and was introduced to North America by early immigrants. Traditional babka has some type of fruit filling, especially raisins, and is glazed with a fruit flavored icing, sometimes with rum added. Modern babka may be chocolate or have a cheese filling.

Despite its Christian associations, babka is also popular among Jews, particularly those with family origins in Eastern Europe.

Babka was a plot point in episode 77 of Seinfeld, in which the main characters try to buy a chocolate babka for a dinner party but have to settle for a cinnamon one instead. They argue with the couple who purchased the last chocolate babka, before realising they are all attending the same dinner party.

Recipe for Traditional Polish Easter Babka

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 cup milk
* 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 packages active dry yeast
* 1/4 cup lukewarm water
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 15 large egg yolks
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/2 cup melted butter
* 3/4 cup candied citrus rind
* 1/2 cup chopped almonds
* 1/3 cup light or dark raisins

Preparation:

1. Scald milk and pour into a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Add 3/4 cup of the flour, mixing well. Cool.

2. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoons of the sugar and let stand 5 minutes. Add to cooled milk mixture, combining well. Cover and let rise until doubled.

3. In a separate large bowl, combine salt and egg yolks and beat until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Add remaining sugar and extracts, mixing well. Combine egg mixture with risen milk mixture, beating thoroughly.

4. Add remaining flour and knead 10 minutes by hand, 7 minutes by machine. Add butter and continue to knead an additional 7-10 minutes or until dough no longer sticks to the hands. Knead in candied rind, almonds and raisins. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Punch down dough and let rise again until doubled.

5. Generously coat a 12-inch fluted babka or tube pan or turban mold with cooking spray. Punch down dough and put into prepared pan. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until dough fills the pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Bake about 50 minutes or until instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees or toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely. Leave plain or dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

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