3 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (3 tbsp)
3/4 cup warm water (110f)
1 tbsp plus 1 cup sugar
1 about 7 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, chill, ed
Directions
This desert, a cross between cake and sweet bread, is often baked for
Easter. Grease side and bottom of 2 (10 inch) tube pans. Prepare
Topping;set aside. In a shallow, medium bowl, dissolve yeast in warm
water. Add 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup flour; stir to combine. Cover;
let stand in a warm place 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. Heat milk and
butter or margarine in a small saucepan until melted. Let stand until
mixture cools to warm. In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and
remaining 1 cup sugar until pale and frothy. Add cooled milk mixture,
salt and yeast mixture. Beat unil smooth. Gradually beat in 4 1/2
cups flour. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead dough into a soft,
smooth dough. Divied dough in 1/2. Arrange 1 part dough in each
greased pan. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm place, free
from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Preheat oven to
350 F. Lightly beat 2 egg whites in a small bosl until foamy. Brush
beaten egg whites on top of dough. Evenly sprinkle Topping over
dough. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserte in centre
comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 3 to 4 minutes on racks. Turn out
of pans; cool completely on racks. Frost with Powdered Sugar Icing if
desired. Makes two (10 inch) cakes. Topping: In a small bowl, combine
sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut
in butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Powdered Sugar Icing: 2 egg whites 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until frothy.
Gradually add powdered sugar, beating constantly. Beat 10 minutes or
until glossy. Add lemon juice; beat 2 minutes or until icing stands
up in soft peaks. Makes abou 1 1/4 cup icing.
Servings: 10 servings
Babka (Polish) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Bread; Breads
The History of Recipes
It is actually possible to trace the history of recipes back into the distant past, certainly as far back as the ancient Egyptians, and maybe even further. In practice though, these, old recipes were just very basic hieroglyphic recipes for preparing meals.
The truth of the matter is, the oldest recipe in existence, according to Professor Solomon Katz, are some tablets in ancient Sumerian which describe the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made those who drank it feel wonderful. As we move into Roman times 25BC a man called Apicius assembled some documents describing recipes enjoyed by his fellow Romans. In his publication, he tells us how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into hors d`oeuvre, main course and afters, something we still use today. Aspicius also describes how the early Romans made use of a wide range of herbs, including some that we all recognise like bay, mint and dill. During the next few centuries, the powerful families of Europe competed with each other to serve the most exotic banquets, and as a consequence, chefs and their recipes were highly sought after. However, it wasn`t until the nineteenth century the formal cooking and recipe collections reached a high level of popularity. Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Merritt Farmer in the USA, dedicated years of their lives to assembling, verifying, and writing down recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. The revolution that is television brought us cooking programs and the accompanying recipe books. Which pretty much brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting everybody to search through thousands of recipes just like those on the site you are now reading. |
We hope you enjoy this Babka (Polish) recipe.
