Babka Wielkanocna Easy Polish Easter Babka Recipes

EASY POLISH EASTER BABKA (BABKA WIELKANOCNA)

Steps:

• Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with rum, soak for two hours or warm in microwave for 45 seconds to speed up the process
• Add yeast to a small bowl or cup and cover with warm water, it should become foamy
• Cream butter, sugar, and salt
• Add milk and vanilla, mix until mixture cools
• Mix in eggs and yeast mixture, then flour
• Add citrus zest and raisins (which have been strained from the rum, reserve rum for the glaze)
• Butter bundt pan and sprinkle with unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
• Add batter to pan, cover and let rise until almost to the top of the pan
• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, internal temp should be at least 190.
• Cook 10 minutes before removing from pan, and cool
• Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze

CHEESE-FILLED EASTER POLISH BREAD (BABKA)

Steps:

• Mix 1 teaspoon sugar, water, and yeast together in a small bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons butter until melted. Let mixture cool to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), about 5 minutes.
• Mix remaining sugar, yeast mixture, 2 egg yolks, and salt into the milk mixture. Add 3 1/3 cups flour; knead dough until shiny and elastic.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat both sides. Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
• Combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks, orange liqueur, orange zest, and 1 vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons flour together in a bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Stir in almonds.
• Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll 1 half into a rectangle 1/8-inch thick; keep the other half covered. Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture over the dough. Fold in the short ends of the dough and roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Transfer to a prepared loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese mixture.
• Brush beaten egg white over the loaves; sprinkle almond topping evenly on top. Cover loaves with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches above the rim of the pans, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake loaves in the preheated oven until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees F (88 degrees C), 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the sides to loosen; let cool completely, about 30 minutes.