Placek Recipes

PLACEK

Steps:

• Heat milk in a small saucepan until it reaches 110 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar until completely dissolved. Let stand until foamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer yeast mixture to a stainless steel bowl. Add 2 cups flour and stir to combine. Spray a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and cover dough. Cover parchment with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 1/2 sticks butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar, orange zest, eggs, and 2 cups flour.
• Change mixer attachment to a dough hook and add yeast mixture to mixer bowl. Mix together on low. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 cups flour and raisins. Butter a large bowl and add dough. Spray a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and cover dough. Let rise until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together remaining 2 cups flour, 1 stick butter, and 1 cup sugar until crumbly.
• Butter three 9-by-5-by-3-inch (8-cup) loaf pans and divide dough evenly between them; top each with crumbs. Spray a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and cover dough; let rise until rounded over the top.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer placek to oven and bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 1 hour in pan before removing. Store at room temperature, up to 1 week.

PLACEK

Steps:

• Put raisins in a bowl and pour in enough water to cover; set aside until raisins begin to plump, at least 15 minutes.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Heat milk and 1/2 cup butter together in a saucepan over medium-high heat until milk is heated just below boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool scalded milk to lukewarm temperature.
• Beat 1 cup sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; add milk mixture and yeast mixture and stir until just combined. Drain raisins and stir into sugar mixture. Beat flour, 2 cups at a time, into sugar mixture, beating well after each addition until dough is well mixed. Set bowl in a warm area of the kitchen, cover with a clean towel, and allow dough to double in size, about 2 hours.
• Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans.
• Beat dough down to release air and pour into the prepared loaf pans.
• Mix 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 tablespoon butter together in a bowl using 2 knives in a scissor-like fashion until crumbly; sprinkle over dough. Allow dough to double in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 310 degrees F (154 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and cool on a wire rack.

POLISH PLACEK Z KRUSZONKA: COFFEE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Place sugar and butter in a large bowl or stand mixer. Scald the milk and pour it into the bowl with sugar and butter. Stir until butter is completely melted. Let cool to 110 F.
• Add yeast and mix well.
• Add egg-salt mixture and half the flour, stirring constantly.
• Add the vanilla and raisins, if using, and mix well.
• Add the remaining flour and mix well. The dough will be sticky.
• Turn out into a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled.
• Grease 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans and make the crumb topping in a medium bowl by combining flour and sugar, and cutting in the butter with your fingers. Set aside.
• Using slightly dampened hands, punch down dough and divide it in half.
• Place in prepared pans . Sprinkle half the crumb topping on each cake. Place on a baking sheet to catch any crumbs that fall off while baking, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise until dough mounds slightly over the top.
• Heat oven to 300 F and bake for 50 minutes or until the instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.
• Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes.
• Then turn out and cool coffee cakes completely on their side on a wire rack.

BUSIA'S POLISH COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Dissolve 2 pkgs. dry yeast in the warm water until foamy.
• 2. Heat milk to scalding and remove from heat. Add sugar, salt and butter to the milk. Mix well to blend and cool to lukewarm.
• 3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each. Add yeast mixture, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in raisins.
• 4. Start adding flour, a cup or two at a time, mixing well for about 5 minutes. Dough will be sticky and wet. Cover dough and raise in a warm spot till double in size.
• 5. While dough is raising mix streusel topping ingredients until crumbly.
• 6. Punch dough down. Grease 2 9x5" loaf pans or 3 smaller ones. Divide dough between the pans, patting down to even out.
• 7. Sprinkle topping over the loaves and let rise in pans until the dough reaches the top of the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, until loaves are golden brown. (Place pans on a baking sheet to avoid sugar spilling over and making a mess in your oven. Remove pans from oven. Take loaves out of pans and place on a rack to cool.

GRANDMA'S PLACEK

Steps:

• Warm milk over low heat until scalded (soft bubbles form around edge of pot) but not boiling.
• Add butter and remove from heat.
• Mix in sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast into water in 2 cup measure,
• stir in 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
• Let stand undisturbed to "proof" about 10 minutes.
• Add eggs to milk mixture, one at a time, beating well.
• Add yeast-in-water mixture.
• Add flour with raisins.
• Knead dough 5 minutes, adding extra flour as needed.
• Placed kneaded dough into greased pan and grease top of dough to prevent it from drying out. Keep warm to rise until double, about 1 to 2 hours.
• Knead dough again (for 5 minutes) and put into greased loaf pans. Let rise 1 to 2 hours again.
• This recipe makes approximately 1 bunt, 2 large and 2 small loaf pans.
• Crumble topping ingredients together.
• Add topping to bread in loaf pans.
• Preheat oven and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
• Bread is done when tester comes out clean.

PLACEK SWIATECZNY - POLISH DESSERT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat eggs with sugar using an electric mixer for 5 minutes at high speed.
• Mix chopped nuts, raisins and orange peel with 2 tablespoons of flour.
• Mix remaining flour with baking powder and salt.
• Cream together the butter, lemon peel and vanilla extract until fluffy.
• Beat in vodka, then add egg mixture gradually, beating constantly.
• Add the flour mixture and beat for 5 minutes.
• Fold fruit-nut mixture into the batter.
• Turn into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch pan or a 1 1/2 quart ring mold.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour.
• Cool cake in pan on wire rack for ten minutes, then turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to mellow for a couple of days.

POLISH COFFEE CRUMB CAKE (PLACEK Z KRUSZONKą)

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat milk and butter on medium low heat and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour and confectioners sugar. With the mixer set on low speed, slowly add the milk and butter mixture to the flour mixture in a stream until well combined. The batter will be thick. Cool until room temperature, about 1 hour (place in refrigerator to speed up the cooling process).
• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease and flour or line with parchment paper a 9 inch x 13 inch x 2 inch pan.
• Using a large-holed grater, grate cold/frozen butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir to combine sugar and flour. Sprinkle over grated butter. With the tips of your fingers, quickly work butter into flour mixture until pea-size crumbs form.
• Using an electric mixer set on low speed, mix into cooled batter eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and baking powder until just combined. Spread batter into prepared pan.
• Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over top of the batter. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate 1 hour and up to overnight. Cut into squares and serve.

PLACEK

Steps:

• 1. Mix together the lukewarm milk (warm enough to activate the yeast)and yeast to proof. Mix together 2 T. sugar and 3 C. flour with the yeast mixture and allow it to bubble and rise, about a half hour. 2. Cream together 2 C. sugar and 1 1/2 C. butter then start adding one egg at a time. Add salt, flour and vanilla. 3. Add the yeast mixture and beat well, until the dough becomes elastic. 4. Divide the dough between four well buttered loaf pans and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 5. In a food processor mix crumb topping. 6. Once risen beat down the loaves and top generously with the kruszynski. 7. Let the dough rise once more until it reaches about 3/4 of the way up the pan. 8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

PLACEK Z SLIWKAMI - POLISH PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 175 ºC / 350 ºF.
• Grease an oven dish (20 cm x 30 cm / 8 in x 12 in) or grease a baking tray and line with parchment paper.
• Cream butter with sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
• Add eggs one by one, add salt and mix until combined.
• At a lower speed, mix in the flour and baking power in increments.
• Add milk and sour cream and mix until combined.
• Pour the batter in the prepared oven dish or baking tray en lightly push in the halved plums.
• Put butter, sugar and cloves into a small bowl and using two knives, cut and mix until combined.
• Crumble the butter mixture onto the plums.
• Bake for roughly 40 minutes till golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.