Grandma's Cherry Babka

Title:
Grandma's Cherry Babka

Yield:
1 Servings

Categories:
Cooking




Ingredients:





   1/2 c  Unsalted butter; room


          -temperature


     4 c  Unbleached all purpose


          -flour; (up to 5)


   1/2 c  Sugar


     1 ts Fine sea salt


 1 1/2 ts Instant yeast


     1 c  Milk


     4    Eggs


     1    Egg yolk


   1/2 c  Dried cherries





------------------------------FOR
THE TOPPING------------------------------


   1/4 c  Fine bread crumbs


   1/4 c  Sugar


     1 ts Ground cinnamon


     4 tb Unsalted butter


     1 lg Egg white; lightly beaten



----------------------------------GARNISH----------------------------------


          Confectioners' sugar





 Grease a 9-inch springform pan with a tablespoon of the butter. Cut a strip


 of parchment paper or aluminum foil measuring about 4 inches wide and long


 enough to fit as a collar around the pan. Set aside.


 


 Place the flour, sugar, salt, and remaining butter in the bowl of a food


 processor fitted with the metal blade. Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the


 milk. Add to the mixture in the processor and process for


      10    seconds.


 


 Combine the remaining milk, eggs, and egg yolk in a small metal bowl. Using


 an instant read thermometer, adjust the temperature of the milk and egg


 mixture so that the combined temperature of the liquid and the flour blend


 gives a base temperature of 130 degrees if using a Cuisinart or KitchenAid,


 or 150 degrees if using a Braun. To warm the milk and eggs, place the bowl


 in another bowl with hot tap water. With a wire whisk, stir the mixture


 until it reaches the desired temperature. If the milk and eggs are too


 warm, cool them by placing the metal bowl over ice water. Stir for 2 to 3


 minutes or until the liquid reaches the desired temperature. With the


 machine running, pour all the liquid through the feed tube. Process for 45


 seconds.


 


 Stop the machine and take the temperature of the dough with an instant read


 thermometer, which should read between 75 and 80 degrees. If the


 temperature is lower than 75 degrees, process the dough for an additional
5


 seconds, up to twice more, until the dough reaches the desired temperature.


 If the temperature is higher than 80 degrees, remove the thermometer,


 scrape the dough from the food processor into an ungreased bowl, and


 refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Check the temperature of the dough after
5


 minutes; the dough should be 80 degrees or cooler by that time. Return the


 dough to the processor, add the dried cherries and pulse for 5 seconds to


 blend them into the dough.


 


 Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough directly into the prepared pan.


 Wrap the strip of parchment of foil collar around the top of the pan,


 letting it extend at least 3 inches above the rim. Tie the collar securely


 to the pan using a piece of butcher's twine. Cover the babka loosely with


 plastic wrap, then a cloth towel. Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a draft


 free place at room temperature.


 


 While the babka is rising, prepare the topping. Place the bread crumbs,


 sugar, cinnamon, and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the


 metal blade. Process for 1 minute until all ingredients are completely


 blended. With a spatula, scrape the topping into a small bowl and set


 aside.


 


 Thirty minutes before baking, put the oven rack on the middle shelf of the


 oven. Preheat to 350 degrees. To bake the babka, remove the towel and


 plastic wrap. The babka should have risen and crested the top of the pan.


 If it has not, cover it with plastic wrap and let it proof for up to 1 hour


 longer. Brush the top of the babka with the egg white, then sprinkle with


 the topping mixture.


 


 Using a spray bottle, mist the inside of the oven with water 2 or 3 times.


 Place the babka in the oven directly on the center rack. Bake for 5


 minutes, then spray the oven with water again. Bake the babka for about 50


 to 55 minutes longer until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick


 inserted in the center comes out clean. Or, it will be finished when it


 reaches an internal temperature of 205 to 210 degrees on an instant read


 thermometer.


 


 Remove the babka from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool and rest


 for 20 minutes. Use a paring knife to loosen it, then remove it from the


 pan. Cut into 2-inch wedges and serve immediately, dusted with


 confectioners' sugar.


 


 Notes: Recipe courtesy of Charles Van Over, The Best Bread Ever


 


 Recipe by: Cooking live Show #9018


 


 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #969 by "Angele and Jon Freeman"


 
on Dec 19, 1997