Directions: |
Directions:Bring milk to a boil and remove from the range. Add the hot milk gradually to the flour and beat thoroughly until smooth and free of lumps. If necessary, strain or press the mixture through a sieve. Cool it to lukewarm. Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water; sprinkle the yeast over it and let stand until every yeast granule is softened . Combine with the lukewarm milk/flour paste; beat well, cover and let it rise in a warm place until light and bubbly. Beat the egg yolks and the whole eggs together along with the salt; add the sugar gradually and continue beating until light.
Beat in the butter, vanilla and lemon rind. Combine this mixture with the sponge and mix well.
Stir in enough flour to make a very soft dough and knead it in the bowl by working the dough over and up continually for about 10 minutes. The usual method of kneading does not apply to babka dough. This dough is very soft. Thorough kneading is essential to develop its elasticity. When raisins are used, they should be added after the dough is kneaded. Cover and let it rise in a warm place, until doubled in bulk. Punch down, knead a few times and let rise again. This second rising may be omitted, if desired. Experienced cooks claim that the second rising gives a superior product.
Prepare tall, round baking pans by buttering them generously with soft butter and sprinkling them lightly with fine bread crumbs. Large tube pans may also be used, but the traditional babka is always baked in a tall cylindrical pan. Fill the pans 1/3 full. This is very important. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it reaches the brim of the pan. It should triple in bulk. Brush the loaves with a beaten egg diluted with 2 tablespoons of milk or water. Bake in a moderate 375°F oven for about 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325°F and bake for about 30 minutes, then again lower the temperature to 275°F and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer. The baking period will depend on the size of the loaves. If necessary, cover with aluminum foil to prevent scorching. Babka dough is very delicate and temperamental. It should be baked at moderately high temperature at first, in order to puff up and form a firm crust, and then the temperature should be lowered because the dough is very rich and scorches readily.
Remove the baked loaves from the oven and let them stand in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Tip each loaf very gently from the pan onto a cloth-covered pillow. Do not cool the loaves on a hard surface. This is extremely important. Careless handling of the baked babka may cause it to fall or settle. As the loaves are cooling, change their position very gently a few times to prevent settling. If desired, the cooled loaves may be iced or glazed and decorated with bakers' confetti. This is the custom in the old country . Babka is always sliced in rounds across the loaf. This sliced bottom crust serves as a protective cover, and it is put back to prevent the loaf from drying. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Babka or baba is a rich yeast-raised cake bread traditionally served at Easter. It is one of the most distinctive Ukrainian breads. A successful babka - rich, tender, fine textured, spongy, and very light - is a great triumph of a Ukrainian homemaker. In the above recipe, the sponge is made with a base of a hot milk-flour paste. This method gives a finer texture to babka and helps to retain its freshness longer. It is popularly used for fine textured cake breads and yeast-raised pastries . For a cake-like crumb of the finished product, the egg yolks and the whole eggs may be beaten with the sugar over hot water, until the mixture is thickened.
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This recipe for EASTER BABKA - TRADITIONAL is from