Best Babka

This babka recipe makes a traditional Polish Easter bread loaded with dried fruit, almonds, lemon and orange zests, with a baked-in streusel topping.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 490 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1 (0.6 ounce) cake cake yeast
• 4 egg yolks, room temperature
• 10 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 1 cup chopped slivered almonds
• 1 eggs
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• 0.5 cup packed brown sugar
• 0.5 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1.5 cups raisins
• 1.5 cups golden raisins
• 0.5 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1.5 cups dried currants

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 tube pans.

Step 2

Heat milk in a medium saucepan until just below boiling; stir in 2 cups unsalted butter until melted. Cool until lukewarm.

Step 3

Place ½ cup warm water and yeast in a small bowl; stir with a spoon to break up slightly. Set aside.

Step 4

Beat 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until well combined. Add 1 cup sugar and salt; beat until mixture is thick and pale. Stir in orange zest, lemon zest, orange liqueur, vanilla extract, and yeast mixture. Beat in 2 cups flour on low speed until well combined; beat in 2 cups more flour until well combined. Beat in milk-butter mixture on medium-low speed, alternating with 4 cups more flour.

Step 5

Beat in up to 1 cup more flour if dough is sticky until well combined. Mix in currants, raisins, golden raisins, and almonds.

Step 6

Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface; knead until shiny and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Knead in up to 1 cup more flour if dough is still sticky. Shape dough into a ball, transfer to a large, greased bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with greased plastic wrap.

Step 7

Place dough in a warm place; let rise until doubled in volume, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Punch down dough, cover the bowl, and let rise again, 1 ½ hours more.

Step 8

Combine 1 cup flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in ¼ cup butter until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle streusel in bottom of the prepared pans.

Step 9

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute; divide into 3 even pieces. Roll each piece into a log, pinching seams to seal. Place logs, seam-sides up, in the prepared pans, pinching ends together to form rings. Cover pans loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Step 10

Beat 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water together; lightly brush over each loaf.

Step 11

Bake in the preheated oven until golden; bread should sound hollow when tapped, 30 to 45 minutes. Turn loaves out onto a rack while still warm. Cool completely before slicing.