Ukrainian Easter Babka

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk or half and half

2 cup flour divided

2 tbl flour

1/2 cup sugar divided

2 tbl lukewarm water

2 tsp lukewarm water

1 pkt active dry yeast

3 egg yolks

2 eggs divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbl grated orange zest

2 tsp grated lemon zest

2/3 cup raisins

Rinsed then soaked in water 10

Minutes and drained

Fine bread crumbs, for dusting baking pan

2 tbl milk

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbl lemon juice

Warm water

Cooking Instructions:

The original recipe produced eight babkas; this recipe is adapted for a single loaf. Bake the babka in a clean 3 pound coffee can or a large kugelhopf mold. Bring 1/3 cup milk to boil and gradually add to 2 tablespoons flour, beating thoroughly until smooth. Set aside. Dissolve I teaspoon of the sugar in the lukewarm water, then mix in yeastand stir until the yeast is completely dissolved. Stir in milk-flour mixture. Mix well. Cover mixture and st aside in warm place until light and bubbly, about 10 minutes. In large mixing bowl beat together until light the egg yolks, 1 egg, remaining sugar and salt. Beat in melted butter, vanilla and citrus zest. Add yeast mixture; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form very soft dough. Knead dough in bowl 15 minutes. Sprinkle raisins over dough and very gently knead raisins into dough. Cover bowl and let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch down risen dough, knead slightly, cover and let rise again until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Generously butter 3-pound coffee can or large kugelhopf pan. Coat pan with fine bread crumbs. Place dough in pan, cover and let rise in warm place until dough reaches brim of pan, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly beat remaining egg with 2 tablespoons milk and brush over top of dough. Bake bread for 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. (If necessary, cover bread with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning). Let bread cool in pan 10 minutes. Very gently tip bread from pan onto layers of soft cloth. (Bread may collapse if handled roughly, or If cooled on hard surface.) Cool bread completely. Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add enough warm water to form glaze. Ice cool bread with lemon glaze. Makes 1 babka.

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