Polish Easter Yeast Babka. Holly staple of every Polish Easter brunch. It Is a centerpiece of every Polish Easter celebration. This Babka recipe is near and dear to my heart as my Grandma used to make it every Easter. I inherited her Babka form, which I used to bake my Babka this Easter. The recipe calls for 8 egg yolks. What to do with the leftover egg whites? You make a Walnut Mazurek, another very important component of Easter in Poland.

Polish Yeast Easter Babka

INGREDIENTS

450 grams (1 pound) all-purpose flour (more for dusting)

1 envelope of dry yeast (rapid rise)

8 egg yolks

83 grams (3 ounces) sugar

3/4 cup luke-warm milk

83 grams (3 ounces) butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine flour and dry yeast. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until double in volume and pale looking.

Add the egg mixture to the flour and yeast mixture. Add the remaining ingredients and mix it with a wooden spoon until a shaggy mass is formed. Dust with a little flour and knead in the bowl for about 2 minutes until all dry bits of dough are incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a work surface, then knead for about 6-8 minutes or until smooth, dusting with flour if the dough is too sticky. Try not to add too much flour. The dough should soft but moist and slightly stick to your hands.  

Place the dough in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, for about 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 180-degree Celsius (355-degree Fahrenheit). Punch down the dough and knead for about 1-2 minutes. Spray a bunt cake form with cooking spray. Place the dough in the form. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for about 30-45 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

• 

•