Polish Easter Yeast Babka with Rum-Soaked Raisins

What you need

• 150 g (1 cup) raisins, golden or dark
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) rum, or brandy; enough to cover the raisins
• 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) warm water
• 170 g (3/4 cup) butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 240 ml (1 cup) milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 530 g (4 1/4 cups) plain flour
• 2 tbsp lemon zest, or orange zest
• 2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs, for the tin
• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Cover the raisins with the rum and leave to soak for 2 hours.

2. 2

   Heat the milk until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge, then let it cool until just warm.

3. 3

   Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and leave until foamy, 5-10 min.

4. 4

   Beat the butter, sugar and salt until pale and fluffy, 3-4 min.

5. 5

   Beat in the milk and vanilla. The mixture may look curdled at this stage.

6. 6

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each, then mix in the yeast.

7. 7

   Add the flour gradually and beat until the dough is soft, sticky and elastic, about 5 min.

8. 8

   Drain the raisins and fold them in with the zest.

9. 9

   Butter a 24 cm (10 in) fluted ring tin generously and coat it with the breadcrumbs. Tip out the excess.

10. 10

    Spoon in the dough and level it. Cover and leave in a warm place until it rises almost to the rim, 1-1 1/2 hours.

11. 11

    Heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F) during the last 20 min of rising.

12. 12

    Bake until deep golden and a skewer comes out clean, 40-45 min. The centre should read 88 °C (190 °F).

13. 13

    Leave in the tin for 10 min, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

14. 14

    Dust with icing sugar before slicing.

Imported from polishhousewife.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.