European Recipes:Polish Recipes:Babka (polish)

Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

       Title: BABKA (POLISH)
Categories: Cakes
       Yield: 10 servings

       3 pk (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (3
            -Tbsp)
     3/4 c Warm water (110F)
       1 tb Plus 1 cup sugar
            About 7 3/4 cups all-purpose
            -flour
   1 1/2 c Milk
   1 1/4 c Unsalted butter or margarine
       6    Eggs
       2    Egg yolks
   1 1/2 ts Salt
       2    Egg whites
            Topping:
     1/4 c Sugar
     1/2 c All-purpose flour
       1 ts Ground cinnamon
     1/4 c Unsalted butter or
            -margarine, chilled

   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.