To keep up with my Polish traditions I baked this delicious and easy to make “Easter Polish Babka”. A perfect snack and dessert to your holidays festivities!
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter (softened)
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/4 cup currants or raisins (golden raisins preferred)
• 1/4 cup candied mixed fruit or candied mixed peel or mixed dried fruit (chopped)
Rum syrup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons rum
Beat the butter with sugar and add eggs one at a time, then add the yeast which we mixed before with the warm milk.
Next, add the flour with salt and beat everything together for 2 minutes. Add the fruit, beating gently just to combine.
Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise for 60 minutes.
Scoop the batter into a greased “babka” pan. Cover the pan, and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes.
Note: If you don’t have a “babka” pan, bake the “babka” in an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan, instead.
Bake the “babka” at 350 F for 40 minutes.
While the “babka” is baking, prepare the rum syrup. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil, swirling the liquid in the pan, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
Remove the “babka” from the oven (poke it all over gently with a toothpick or fork) then pour the syrup over the “babka’s” surface.
When the syrup is fully absorbed, carefully loosen the “babka’s” edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a serving dish.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy this “babka” as a dessert for your family gathering!
Bon Appetit!
Recipe Inspiration @https://www.kingarthurbaking.