Polish Sweet Bread (Babka)


Course : Breads
Serves: 5 to 6 loaves
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Ingredients:


1 quart milk (scalded and cooled to 110-115 degrees F.)

3 small yeast cakes

5 pound all-purpose flour

10 large eggs

2 cup sugar

1/2 pound seedless raisins -- dark or light (washed and sprinkled with flour)

1 Tablespoon salt

1 pound melted butter

2 Teaspoon vanilla

1 ounce brandy -- rum or whiskey
 

Preparation / Directions:


Sponge: Dissolve the yeast cakes in 1/2 cup of cooled, scalded milk. Cool to 110-115 degrees F. with 1/4 cup sugar and about 2 tablespoons flour. (This takes about 15-30 minutes to rise in small mixing bowl.) Beat until smooth and set it to rise on top of stove. Add about 6 cups flour and remainder of milk in large bowl. Add sponge, beat together and let rise 1 hour in a warm place. Cover with clean dish towel. Add well beaten eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla and work into dough, alternating with warm melted butter, adding more flour as you work 6 cups in. Knead dough quickly and lightly about 1/2 hour until smooth and dough does not stick to hand or bowl. Add liquor and raisins last. After kneading place dough in large bowl (or 2 smaller) and set in warm place to rise until double in bulk (from 1-2 hours). Cover with clean towel. Grease and flour loaf pans and fill 2/3 full. Cover again with clean towel. Let rise until just above edge of pan. Bake in hot oven 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees, then turn to 350 degrees for 15 minutes. If it browns too quickly, cover with brown paper for last 15 minutes. When done, bread shrinks from sides of pan and is easily removed. Cool in pans about 15 minutes, then turn loaves out on racks to cool.

 

Nutritional Information:

3259 Calories (kcal); 136g Total Fat; (36% calories from fat); 58g Protein; 465g Carbohydrate; 2118mg Cholesterol; 3635mg Sodium


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