Babci's Babka

My Babci's (grandmother's) babka is a bit drier and more like bread than most that I have made or eaten. While I like the softer, more cake-like versions, my family has other ideas! My father used to have thin sliced babka with Easter ham as a sandwich. This is the recipe that my mother transcribed from the original Polish, when my Babci wrote it down. It's just yummy with a thin coat of soft butter!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 babka

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4ounce) envelope dry yeast
• 1⁄2 cup  light cream or 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 2  cups flour
• 3  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  tablespoon  melted butter
• 1⁄3 cup  light golden raisin

• Cheese Topping

• 8  ounces cream cheese (blend cream cheese sugar, and add egg yolks, continue to blend well with mixer until smooth)
• 2  egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup sugar

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm cream.
2. Combine with half the sugar and half the flour and let double in size.
3. Add all remaining ingrdients except the raisins and knead until smooth.
4. It will be sticky. Add more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the counter. (I usually use at least 1 1/2 cups extra.)
5. Add the raisins while continuing to knead.
6. Grease a tube or bundt pan and dust with flour.
7. Place dough in pan, cover with plastic wrap and a clean cloth and leave in a very warm draft-free place until double once again.
8. Spread the top with cheese topping. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
9. NOTE: I use a heating pad to keep the bowl warm and keep the dough rising.