Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Babka – Grandmother's Bread

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Babka is  brioche-like yeast cake traditionally baked for Easter.  Babka comes from “baba or babci” meaning Grandmother.  This is my mother’s recipe.  Perfect in the morning just with butter and a hot cup of coffee.
You will need:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1-1/4 cup scalded milk
  • 2 pkgs. dry yeast
  • 5 cups all purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. each orange and lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup golden raisans

Scald milk; add butter and sugar and stir until butter melts.  Cool to lukewarm.  In your stand mixer, add milk mixture.  Add yeast and 2-1/2 cups of the flour, beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time until well blended.  Add zest, raisans and remaining flour.  Mix to incorporate and knead 10 minutes.  Dough will be a little sticky, but don’t add any more flour.  Transfer to a large, oiled bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch down dough and place in a well buttered tube pan.  Cover and let rise again; about 45 minutes.

 

Brush the top of the dough with beaten egg.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This makes fabulous French Toast!