Babka
Polish Traditional Easter Bread
One lesson I learned in my youth, and still carry with me to this day, is that baking isn’t only about making food. When approached as a familial or cultural tradition it can be about so much more than that. As experienced through the lens of one’s heritage the art of baking is really more about creating, sharing, giving, celebrating. When I was growing up in Poland one of our family’s cherished annual traditions was baking special Easter-season treats for our family and friends. During the week or so leading to Easter Sunday my Mother, sisters and I would spend hours in the kitchen re-creating the cakes, pastries and breads our family enjoyed so much each year. It seemed like the perfect time of year for baking. The warmth of the oven and the aroma of the freshly baked confections filled the house and kept the last vestiges of Winter at bay. Somehow, there was nothing quite like a freshly-baked Babka to celebrate Easter and usher in the coming Spring.
This version of Babka is our family’s take on the sweetened bread so closely associated with the Easter tradition in many Eastern European countries. There are probably almost as many variations as there are Babka’s (aka Grandmothers) so try this one and see if it can become part of your family’s Easter tradition.
…so let’s get on with the baking:
4 cups (612g) cake flour or all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners sugar, you can substitute 1 cup (220g) granulated sugar
1tsp sea salt
12 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, melted
8 extra large egg yolks
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
zest of one orange
around 1 1/2 cups raisins, dark or light or combination
4 packets instant dry yeast (make sure your yeast is fresh, check the expiration date)
1 1/4 cups milk, whole, warm 110-115 F (for proofing the yeast)
2 tsp sugar, granulated (for proofing the yeast)
Babka can be made ahead: Bake the Babka, cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Preheat the oven to 350F - Babka can be baked in a muffin, cake or bread pan. Bake Babka for around 15 minutes if you use a muffin pan(s); 20 to 30 minutes if using a cake pan or bread pan.
Butter the pan(s) you plan to use, set aside. We are using these pans.
Step 1: Proof the yeast, warm the milk either on top of the stove or micro-wave oven, pour into a medium bowl, add sugar, stir, add yeast, lightly stir and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine and beat the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar until lemon in color,
add vanilla and butter, mix,
add orange zest, mix,
lower the speed of the mixer to low, add the salt, and gradually add half of the flour,
add the proofed yeast, mix,
gradually add the rest of the flour,
add the raisins, mix
Dough should be soft and sticky, cover with either plastic wrap or towel, set aside in warm, draft-free place to double in size, about an hour to a couple of hours.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough to deflate,
divide the dough into well buttered pans,
cover and let the doug rise again for about an hour or so.
When the the dough has risen, place the uncovered pans in the center of the preheated oven and bake until Babkas are golden in color, or until a toothpick comes out clean
Cool completely before removing from pans.
For a video of this recipe go to: https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=486BVUbKJFY
The recipe on this blog is an updated recipe from our video, but the preparation method is the same.
Enjoy! Smacznego!
Luclare Cuisine
Comments
Post a Comment