Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1/2 c Unsalted butter, room
Temperature
4 To 5 cups unbleached all
Purpose flour
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.

COOKING LIVE SHOW #CL9018

All recipes courtesy of Charles Van Over, The Best Bread Ever

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