Bobka Polish Easter Bread Recipes

CHEESE-FILLED EASTER POLISH BREAD (BABKA)

Steps:

• Mix 1 teaspoon sugar, water, and yeast together in a small bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons butter until melted. Let mixture cool to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), about 5 minutes.
• Mix remaining sugar, yeast mixture, 2 egg yolks, and salt into the milk mixture. Add 3 1/3 cups flour; knead dough until shiny and elastic.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat both sides. Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
• Combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks, orange liqueur, orange zest, and 1 vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons flour together in a bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Stir in almonds.
• Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll 1 half into a rectangle 1/8-inch thick; keep the other half covered. Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture over the dough. Fold in the short ends of the dough and roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Transfer to a prepared loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese mixture.
• Brush beaten egg white over the loaves; sprinkle almond topping evenly on top. Cover loaves with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches above the rim of the pans, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake loaves in the preheated oven until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees F (88 degrees C), 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the sides to loosen; let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

POLISH EASTER BREAD - BOBKA

Steps:

• Measure 2 cups flour onto piece of waxed paper.
• Combine other 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and cinnamon in mixing bowl and mix well.
• Melt butter and add lukewarm milk.
• Gradually add dry ingredients and beat at low speed, scraping sides of bowl, 2 minutes.
• Add 4 egg yolks and 1 more cup of flour.
• Beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until think and elastic.
• Gradually stir in last cup of flour with wooden spoon, making a soft dough.
• Cover and let rise until double.
• Stir in raisins and lemon rind.
• Put in a well greased 3 quart fluted tube pan or heavy Bundt pan.
• Beat 5th egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and brush top of dough with this mix.
• Sprinkle almonds over the top and let rise for one hour uncovered.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 minutes. Turn out of pan and cool on rack.

BOBKA - POLISH EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• To begin, add 2 cups of flour, the yeast, the sugar, the cinnamon, and the salt to a large mixing bowl and combine.
• Then, warm the milk to lukewarm (about 45 seconds in the microwave will do it) and stir it into the dry ingredients in your bowl.
• Next, melt the butter (20 seconds or so in the microwave) and add that to your mixture as well. Keep the wrapper to grease the pan. Blend well.
• Add in another cup of flour and combine.
• After that, add four egg yolks to the bowl and keep stirring. (You will not need the whites for this recipe, so feel free to set aside for an egg white omelette for later.)
• Add in your final cup of flour and blend thoroughly. The dough will be soft and stretchy.
• Now, cover the dough and set it in a warm place to rise until about double in size. This could take an hour or two depending on your climate. (For best practices on getting your dough to rise, see the notes on my baba al rum recipe.)
• While the dough is rising, zest your lemon and dice the dried apricots into small pieces. Set aside.
• Once that's done, grease the bundt pan well with the butter from the butter wrapper, and then sprinkle some powdered sugar over the butter and shake the pan to coat it with a light layer of powdered sugar.
• When the dough looks ready, preheat your oven to 350°.
• Now, blend the lemon zest and dried apricots into the dough.
• Place the dough evenly in a ring in your bundt pan and let it rise a little more until the oven is done pre-heating.
• Once hot, place the pan in the oven and bake about 32-34 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool completely.
• Turn it out of the bundt pan onto your cake stand (in my case cutting board).
• Now, mix your lemon juice and powdered sugar, then pour the glaze over the bobka. Sprinkle your slivered almonds over the top while the glaze is still wet so they will stick. Serve and enjoy!