Placek Swiateczny Polish Dessert Bread Recipes

PLACEK SWIATECZNY - POLISH DESSERT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat eggs with sugar using an electric mixer for 5 minutes at high speed.
• Mix chopped nuts, raisins and orange peel with 2 tablespoons of flour.
• Mix remaining flour with baking powder and salt.
• Cream together the butter, lemon peel and vanilla extract until fluffy.
• Beat in vodka, then add egg mixture gradually, beating constantly.
• Add the flour mixture and beat for 5 minutes.
• Fold fruit-nut mixture into the batter.
• Turn into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch pan or a 1 1/2 quart ring mold.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour.
• Cool cake in pan on wire rack for ten minutes, then turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to mellow for a couple of days.

GRANDMA'S PLACEK

Steps:

• Warm milk over low heat until scalded (soft bubbles form around edge of pot) but not boiling.
• Add butter and remove from heat.
• Mix in sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast into water in 2 cup measure,
• stir in 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
• Let stand undisturbed to "proof" about 10 minutes.
• Add eggs to milk mixture, one at a time, beating well.
• Add yeast-in-water mixture.
• Add flour with raisins.
• Knead dough 5 minutes, adding extra flour as needed.
• Placed kneaded dough into greased pan and grease top of dough to prevent it from drying out. Keep warm to rise until double, about 1 to 2 hours.
• Knead dough again (for 5 minutes) and put into greased loaf pans. Let rise 1 to 2 hours again.
• This recipe makes approximately 1 bunt, 2 large and 2 small loaf pans.
• Crumble topping ingredients together.
• Add topping to bread in loaf pans.
• Preheat oven and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
• Bread is done when tester comes out clean.