Mrs. Kostyra’s Babkas

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Butter 3 kugelhopf molds (each 1 1/2 quarts and 8 inches in diameter); set aside. Butter a large bowl; set aside. Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium-low, stirring, until the butter is melted.

   Step 2

   Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar over the warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, 7 to 10 minutes.

   Step 3

   Whisk together 4 eggs and the egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, and the salt in a large bowl until thick, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, liqueur, zests, yeast mixture, and milk mixture; whisk 1 minute more. With a wooden spoon, gradually stir in up to 10 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until a sticky dough forms. Stir in the dried fruits and almonds.

   Step 4

   Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead, dusting with flour if it seems sticky, until smooth and soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the buttered bowl. Loosely cover with buttered plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough. Loosely cover with buttered wrap; let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.

   Step 5

   Punch down the dough; turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 1 minute. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into an 18-inch-long rope. Fit each rope into a buttered mold; press the end of the rope into the dough to seal. Loosely cover with buttered wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

   Step 6

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the remaining egg and the cream in a small bowl. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in molds on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Unmold onto the rack, and let cool completely, larger sides down.

2. Testing Yeast

   Step 7

   Yeast is a kind of fungus that, when activated, produces carbon dioxide—the gas that causes breads to rise. Yeast feeds off of sugar and water and stays alive even when frozen; nonetheless, it loses some of its efficacy over time. Three varieties are available to bakers: cake, instant dry, and active dry, all of which can be used in any recipe that requires yeast. Cake yeast is fresh and perishes quickly; instant dry yeast and active dry yeast are in powder form and have a longer shelf life.

3. Step 8

   All three types can be checked for efficacy with a simple test called proofing. In a glass measuring cup, stir 1 teaspoon sugar into 1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 110°F); if the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Sprinkle the mixture with 1 teaspoon yeast. Instant dry yeast should react immediately; if it is active, it should foam and become creamy. Active dry and cake yeasts should react the same way within 10 minutes. If the yeast does not respond this way, do not use it. If it is active, remember to factor in the amount of tested yeast and water into the amounts called for in the recipe.