INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Makes Three 8-inch Babkas  The Cook and Kitchen Staff are offering you
some of our best recipes  from "Our Daily Bread" collection. Today's
recipe is a traditional  Polish Easter bread.  Please, don't think that
you have to wait until April to serve this  delicious bread. It's
fantastic as a coffee cake for breakfast or  served with tea for a
light snack in the afternoon.  Place yeast in a small mixing bowl and
pour warm water over it. Stir  with a spoon to break up the yeast. Set
aside for 3 to 5 minutes to  proof.  In a small saucepan, scald milk.
Add 1 cup butter or margarine, and  stir until melted. Remove from heat
and let stand to cool until  lukewarm.  In a large mixing bowl, beat 4
eggs and all 4 egg yolks with an  electric mixer. Add sugar and salt,
and continue to beat until the  mixture is thick and pale. Add vanilla,
orange- flavored liqueur (if  used), orange and lemon zest, and the
yeast mixture. Blend again.  Gradually beat in 4 cups flour. Add milk
mixture alternately with 4  more cups flour while beating on medium
speed. Add up to an  additional 1 cup flour if the dough is sticky. Mix
in currants,  raisins, golden raisins, and almonds.  Transfer dough to
a clean large bowl. Knead using a large wooden spoon  until the dough
pulls away and doesn't stick to the spoon, about 8 to  10 minutes.
Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with
plastic wrap and place in a warm area until dough rises enough to
reach the top of the bowl, usually about 1 or 2 hours. Punch the  dough
down, re-cover the bowl, and allow to rise again.  Lightly butter 3
angel food or ring cake pans. In a small bowl,  combine 1 cup flour, 4
tablespoons butter or margarine, brown sugar,  and cinnamon to form
crumb topping. Sprinkle evenly between the  baking pans.  Punch the
dough down again. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead for 1
minute. Cut into thirds, and transfer dough to prepared  pans. Cover
loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise to the top of  pan. Beat the
remaining egg, and brush the top of the dough.  Bake in a pre-heated
350-F degree oven until golden brown and hollow  sounding when tapped,
about 30 to 45 minutes. Immediately turn out  onto a cooling rack so
bread does not stick to the pan. Cool and  store in air-tight bags to
preserve. May freeze for up to 90    days.  Kitchen Staff Tips: If you
know anyone who may think zest is a bar of  soap,  continued in part 2

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
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Calories: 11792
Calories From Fat: 3529
Total Fat: 404.3g
Cholesterol: 2267.3mg
Sodium: 3240.9mg
Potassium: 8934.2mg
Carbohydrates: 1876.8g
Fiber: 91.7g
Sugar: 757.1g
Protein: 229.9g