Ukrainian Rich Babka

• 3 cakes fresh yeast
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 15 egg yolks
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 8 cups flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 lemon, grated rind of
• 1-1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup golden raisins, lightly floured

1. Mix yeast cakes, 1 tbs.
2. sugar, and 2 tbs.
3. flour in 2 cups lukewarm milk; stir until dissolved.
4. Cover bowl and let stand in warm place to work until bubbly, about 1-1/2 hours.
5. Beat the egg yolks until thick; add confectioners' sugar, mixing in until thoroughly blended.
6. Add yeast mixture to yolk mixture; mix well.
7. Stir in flour, salt, vanilla, and grated lemon rind; knead together until the mixture is smooth.
8. Add the softened butter, kneading it in a little at a time.
9. Continue kneading the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands.
10. Knead in raisins, Cover with plastic wrap and a bath towel and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in height.
11. Punch dough down to release air.
12. Grease hands with butter and shape dough to fit greased round baking containers (four 1-lb coffee cans work well) approximately 1/3 full.
13. Let rise until doubled in height.
14. Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 8 minutes; turn oven down to 300F and continue baking for 45 minutes.

yeast, sugar, milk, flour, egg yolks, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, lemon, butter, golden raisins

Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/17746 (may not work)