Three Placeks

1 ¼ cup milk
2 pkgs. Rapid Rise dry yeast
1 ½ Tblsp. sugar
2 cups unbleached flour

Heat milk to 110-115° in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add yeast and sugar. Stir till completely dissolved and let stand for 10 – 15 min or till foamy. Once yeast mixture has increased, pour into a stainless steel bowl. Add flour and mix together. Cover with wax or parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray, then cover with a kitchen towel and let rise ½ - 1 hour or till doubled.

While yeast mixture is rising, beat together in a mixer:
1 ½ sticks Butter
1 ¼ cup sugar
ADD: orange rind from ½ an orange (optional)
5 large eggs
2 cups flour

Beat until blended and light. If you have a dough hook, put it on the mixer at this time. After yeast mixture is ready, add in mixer bowl and beat on low.

ADD slowly on low:
2 cups of flour
½ - 1 ½ cups golden raisins
Grease a larger bowl, add dough mixture to it, cover with wax paper, and let dough rise 1 ½ - 2 ½ hours or till doubled.

While dough is rising, mix crumbs:
2 c flour
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar

After dough has risen, divide equally into greased loaf pans. Distribute crumbs equally on dough in pans. Put wax paper on top of loaf pans and let rise till dough is rounded over the top.

Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or longer as needed.

***TIPS: When first starting yeast mixture, if it doesn’t become foamy, then throw it out and start again – either your yeast is old or the milk was too hot. Try to keep rising dough away from any drafts. Don’t use a cake tester or open the oven during the initial baking process so the dough doesn’t collapse.