Recipe: Polish Babka - Maureen Janiga...

maureen janiga...could your husband be thinking of:

POLISH BABKA

1 quart milk (scalded and cooled to 110-115 degrees F.)
3 small yeast cakes or 1 large (2 oz.)
5 lbs. all-purpose flour (about 14 c.)
10 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 lb. seedless raisins, dark or light (washed and sprinkled with flour)
1 tbsp. salt
1 lb. melted butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 shot glass of brandy, rum or whiskey

FOR THE SPONGE:
Dissolve the yeast cakes in 1/2 cup of cooled, scalded milk. Cool to 110-115 degrees F with 1/4 cup sugar and about 2 tablespoons flour. (This takes about 15-30 minutes to rise in small mixing bowl.) Beat until smooth and set it to rise on top of stove.

FOR THE DOUGH:
Add about 6 cups flour and remainder of milk in large bowl. Add sponge, beat together, cover with clean dish towel and let rise 1 hour in a warm place.

Add well beaten eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla and work into dough, alternating with warm melted butter, adding more flour as you work 6 cups in. Knead dough quickly and lightly about 1/2 hour until smooth and dough does not stick to hand or bowl. Add liquor and raisins last. After kneading place dough in large bowl (or 2 smaller), cover with clean towel and set in warm place to rise until double in bulk (from 1-2 hours).

Grease and flour loaf pans and fill 2/3 full. Cover again with clean towel. Let rise until just above edge of pan.

Bake in hot oven 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F, then turn to 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. If it browns too quickly, cover with brown paper for last 15 minutes. When done, bread shrinks from sides of pan and is easily removed. Cool in pans about 15 minutes, then turn loaves out on racks to cool.

Yields 5 or 6 loaves, depending on pan size.