The Martha Stewart Show

Babka

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Babka

The Martha Stewart Show

Martha shares a clip from April 1998, when her mother, Mrs. Kostrya, demonstrates how to make babka, a sweet Polish coffee cake.

Easter Babka

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Ingredients

2 cups milk
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for bowl
2 envelopes (2 tablespoons) dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 oranges
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur
9 cups sifted unbleached flour, plus more for work surface
1 cup slivered almonds, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (optional)
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar mixed with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 teaspoon water, for glaze

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, scald milk. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool to lukewarm.
In a small bowl, stir yeast into warm water; let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar until thick. Add salt, zests, vanilla, and liqueur. Stir to combine. Stir in milk mixture, then yeast.
Add flour, a cupful at a time, until dough is moist but not sticky, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands. Stir in almonds and raisins.
Knead dough on a floured board, adding more flour if dough is too sticky, until dough comes away from your hands, about 6 minutes. Place dough in a very large buttered bowl.
Cover dough with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and let rise again until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9- or 10-inch kugelhopf or angel-food cake pans. Sprinkle pans with a tablespoon of confectioners' sugar, if desired. Divide dough into 3 portions; arrange in pans and cover loosely. Let dough rise to tops of pans, about 30 minutes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until cakes are golden brown and tops make a hollow sound when tapped with knuckles. Cool for 5 minutes in pans; turn out onto racks and cool for 20 minutes more.
Spoon glaze onto babka, allowing it to drip over sides.

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