Bread Machine (174 page)

Grease a 13-by-9-inch metal or Pyrex baking dish. When the machine beeps at the end of the cycle, press Stop and unplug the machine. With a large rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the pan. Using floured fingers, spread the batter evenly to fill the pan to the edges. Sprinkle with the topping. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375ºF (350ºF if using a glass pan).

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and prepare the icing. With a large spoon, drizzle the top in a back-and-forth pattern. Serve warm, out of the pan.

SWEET BABKA WITH CHOCOLATE SWIRL
       
Makes 2 loaves

T
he word
babka
is the Polish word for grandmother, as well as the name of this sweet bread. Usually baked in a fluted round mold with a center tube, the loaves were said to resemble a woman’s full skirt of centuries past. This recipe is baked in a loaf pan. One basic dough is used to create two different and delightful swirled breakfast creations—choose the filling you like. The dough is removed from the machine, stuffed and rolled up, and baked in the oven. I keep a stash of disposable aluminum loaf pans, available in any supermarket, on hand for baking sweet breads. The breads bake beautifully in them, and if any of the sweet filling leaks out, it doesn’t stick.
Babka
is a traditional Easter coffee bread.

1
¹
/
₂
-POUND LOAF

For the dough:

1
¹
/
₄
cups water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 cups bread flour

¹
/
₃
cup nonfat dry milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
¹
/
₂
teaspoons bread machine yeast

For the chocolate prune swirl:

³
/
₄
cup semisweet chocolate chips

³
/
₄
cup snipped dried prunes

¹
/
₄
cup chopped walnuts

OR

For the chocolate spice swirl:

²
/
₃
cup sugar

2
¹
/
₂
tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Plain or vanilla (see
Vanilla Powder
) confectioners’ sugar, for dusting, optional

Place all the dough ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Program for the Dough cycle; press Start. The dough ball will be soft.

Grease two 7-by-3-inch loaf pans (for the 1
¹
/
₂
-pound loaf) or two 8-by-4-inch loaf pans (for the 2-pound loaf). Combine the dry ingredients for the swirl filling you have chosen in a small bowl.

When the machine beeps at the end of the cycle, press Stop and unplug the machine. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half. Pat each piece into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Brush each lightly with some melted butter. Sprinkle each with half of the filling, leaving a 1-inch space all the way around. Starting at a short edge, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Tuck the ends under and pinch the bottom seams.

Place the loaves seam side down in the pans. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Bake the loaves for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and the sides have contracted slightly from the pan. Cool on a rack and dust with plain or vanilla powdered sugar, if desired.

2-POUND LOAF

For the dough:

1
²
/
₃
cups water