No. 3013 — Lace Baba
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3013 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Take 5 glasses of strained egg whites, 1½ glasses flour, slightly less than 1 glass melted butter, 1 glass sugar and 1 glass yeast mixture. Beat the yolks remaining after separating the whites in a butter churn, or rub them in a stone bowl, until white.
Strain the yolks, mix with sugar and yeast mixture and add butter and flour. Stir without stopping for a full hour, until bubbles begin to show. Set in a warm place protected from drafts, cover and leave to rise.
Grease a paper mould, place it inside a saucepan, sprinkle with sugar and fill three-quarters full of dough. When it has risen further, set the baba very carefully in a hot oven for 1 hour, without knocking or shaking it.
If the oven is very hot the baba may be done sooner; test with a straw as explained in the general note. For six people take one-third of the original quantity.