Babka Bread with Golden Raisins

Instructions

• 1

  Combine yeast and sugar in medium size mixing bowl, set aside to later add into flour mixture alternately with milk/butter/shortening in small amounts on low speed.
• 2

  Beat eggs, set aside to add to flour mixture.
• 3

  Measure all 8 cups of sifted flour into stand mixer bowl (I use a "kitchen aide" professional stand mixer, if you don't have one, you can use an extra large mixing bowl and hand mixer). Attach dough hook and add beaten eggs and mix on low speed until combined.
• 4

  Combine milk, butter, and shortening and scald on stovetop. Remove immediately and let cool for 5-10 mins, set aside. Very important - if added to mixture before cooled, heat may kill the yeast and you will be left with a lot of gooey slop that wont rise.
• 5

  When eggs have been combined with flour completely, start to alternately add milk/butter/shortening mixture and sugar/yeast mixture into egg/flour mixture in stand mixer or mixing bowl. Add (rinsed) raisins and mix on low to medium speed until dough is elastic.
• 6

  Release bowl from mixer and cover with kitchen towel. Let stand 30-40 minutes or until you see it has doubled in size.
• 7

  While dough is rising, grease 4 large (preferably glass Pyrex so you can see the bread brown) with shortening (I use crisco). Set aside. Heat another 1/4 pound of butter (2 sticks) on stovetop on very low heat. Until melted - very important: do not burn.
• 8

  When dough has doubled. Divide evenly into greased loaf pans, and pour butter on top of each pan evenly. Sprinkle sugar liberally over each pan, then cover all again with kitchen towel until doubled once again. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 9

  Once dough has doubled again, bake all 4 loaves at once in preheated oven @350 for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand, until cooled before removing from pans.