Polish Coffee Cake Babka

[Olga Drozd]

Polish Coffee Cake Babka

This round loaf made of slightly sweetened yeast dough is called a babka, and its substantial goodness has been enjoyed by Polish families for generations.This coffee cake babka, is studded with raisins and crusted with sugar and cinnamon.

BABKA:

1 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees F. to 115 F.)
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
4 1/2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless dark raisins

TOPPING:

1 large egg white
1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter

Place milk in a small saucepan; heat milk until bubbles form around edge of pan.  Remove pan from heat; cool milk to lukewarm. (A drop sprinkled on wrist will not feel warm.) Rinse large bowl of electric mixer in hot water; pour 1/4 cup warm water into bowl. If possible, check temperature of warm water with a thermometer.

The temperature should be no less than 105 degrees F. and no more than 115 F.  Water that is too hot will kill the yeast; water that is too cold will slow down the yeast action and the bread will not be as light.  Sprinkle yeast evenly over the warm water; stir until yeast is dissolved.

Add lukewarm milk, 1/2 cup sugar, the salt, 1/2 cup butter, 4 large eggs, 1 egg yolk and 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture.  With mixer at medium speed, beat flour mixture until smooth and blended.  With wooden spoon stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour; beat vigorously until dough leaves side of bowl, about 2 minutes.

Add raisins to dough; mix to combine.  Cover dough with a damp towel; let rise in warm place free from drafts until double in bulk, about 1 hour.  Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Fold a 30-inch strip of aluminum foil lengthwise; wrap foil outside top of pan, extending foil 2 inches above rim. Turn dough into pan.

Cover dough loosely with a damp towel; let rise in warm place free from drafts until dough is 3/4 inch from the top of the aluminum foil, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Make topping:  Using a fork, beat egg white with 1 Tablespoon water; brush egg white mixture on top of dough.

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons flour, the sugar, cinnamon and butter; sprinkle over dough. Bake 1 hour or until cake tester inserted into center of Babka comes out clean.  Cool in pan or on wire rack 15 minutes.  To Serve:  Remove side and bottom of pan.  Cut Babka into wedges.  Serve warm.  Makes 16 servings.

Serving Tips: For breakfast, serve Babka warm with sweet butter or serve toasted, buttered and sprinkle with lots of cinnamon sugar.  Either way it's delicious!