Grandma's Placek

Submitted by John 11-44

"Placek (plah-sek) in Polish just means cake, but placek around back home (and probably other cities with a high Polish population) refers to a sweet yeast bread topped with sugary crumble, with golden raisins served on Easter. You hardly see placek, which is a shame! This bread can also be wrapped well and frozen, then taken out as necessary for eating and giving away, meaning it can be made ahead of time! Placek is the kind of bread that begs to be spread with butter - it's not like a moist sour cream coffee cake. It has a drier crumb, making it an even better partner to coffee or tea."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 40mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Yields: 5-6 Loves
• Serves: 50

ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 lb butter (4 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 10 eggs
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast (not rapid rise)
• 1⁄2 cup very warm water (not too hot, see yeast package)
• 6 cups flour (approximately)
• 1 lb golden raisin (mixed with flour to prevent sticking)

• Topping

• 1⁄2 cup sugar (or mixture of white and brown sugar)
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1⁄4 cup butter

directions

1. Warm milk over low heat until scalded (soft bubbles form around edge of pot) but not boiling.
2. Add butter and remove from heat.
3. Mix in sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Let cool.
4. Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast into water in 2 cup measure,
5. stir in 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
6. Let stand undisturbed to “proof” about 10 minutes.
7. Add eggs to milk mixture, one at a time, beating well.
8. Add yeast-in-water mixture.
9. Add flour with raisins.
10. Knead dough 5 minutes, adding extra flour as needed.
11. Placed kneaded dough into greased pan and grease top of dough to prevent it from drying out. Keep warm to rise until double, about 1 to 2 hours.
12. Knead dough again (for 5 minutes) and put into greased loaf pans. Let rise 1 to 2 hours again.
13. This recipe makes approximately 1 bunt, 2 large and 2 small loaf pans.
14. Crumble topping ingredients together.
15. Add topping to bread in loaf pans.
16. Preheat oven and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
17. Bread is done when tester comes out clean.