Babka I

In a small saucepan heat milk until just below boiling. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.

Place cake yeast in a small bowl; pour 1/2 cup lukewarm water over the yeast. Stir with a spoon to break up the yeast slightly; set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat 4 eggs and egg yolks with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup sugar and salt and continue to beat until mixture is thick and pale. Stir in vanilla orange liqueur zests and yeast mixture. Beat in 2 cups flour on low speed; when incorporated add 2 more cups of flour and mix until combined. Add cooled milk mixture alternately with an additional 4 cups flour beating on medium-low speed.

If the dough is very sticky add up to 1 cup of flour. Mix in currants raisins golden raisins and almonds.

Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface and knead about 8 to 10 minutes adding reserved flour if needed. Shape dough into a ball. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with greased plastic wrap.

Place in a warm place and allow it to rise until dough has doubled about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down re-cover the bowl and allow to rise again for an additional 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter 3 tube pans.

In a small bowl combine 1 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter to form crumb topping. Sprinkle evenly among the 3 pans.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Cut dough into thirds. Flatten each piece of dough into a rectangle and roll it up into a log pinching the seam to seal. Lay each log seam-side up in the prepared pans pinching ends together to form rings. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Before baking gently brush egg wash over each loaf.