I will quite literally find any excuse to put cranberries in a recipe. I have been experimenting with babkas and I woke up in a cold sweat one day and said "CRANBERRIES IN A BABKA!" Heresy? Perhaps. Delicious? Ooooooh yes. Here is a fall recipe that is well worth the time to make.
Orange and Cardamom Infused with a Cranberry Filling
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 3 Hours
Servings: 2 Loaves
Ingredients
1 Cup Whole Milk heated to 110 Degrees
½ Cup Water heated 110 Degrees
2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
½ Cup Sugar
5 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Kosher Salt
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Orange Zest
1 tsp Cardamom
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened and cubed
Cranberry Filling
2 Cups Cranberries – Frozen and Fresh
1 Tbsp Melted Butter
Zest of One Orange
¼ Cup Orange Juice
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp Corn Starch
Directions:
Pour the
milk and water into a small saucepan and heat it on low until it reaches 110
degrees. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp sugar and the yeast and let sit for ten minutes.
Meanwhile measure out the flour, salt, remaining sugar, orange zest, and
cardamom and whisk. When the yeast has foamed slowly pour it into the bowl of
the mixer with the dough hook and begin to mix on low. When that is well
combined add the vanilla and eggs. The dough will be pretty wet, but should
move up the dough hook in a ball. When that happens add the butter a bout a
tablespoon at a time. Allow the dough to mix for another 5 minutes. The dough
will be sticky and wet. Remove it from the mixer and place in a large oiled
bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour.
Meanwhile
put the cranberries, butter, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, sugar, and
corn starch. Cook on medium low heat until the cranberries pop and soften. Set
aside and let the mixture cool.
Sprinkle
flour on a clean surface. Cut the dough in half and form them into balls. Take
one ball of dough and roll out into a rectangle ¼ inch thick. Spread half of
the cranberry filling across the dough. Roll the dough tightly into a log.
Slice the dough down the center lengthwise. Turn the dough so the filling is
facing up and attach the two pieces at the top and then twist the two pieces to
attach at the end. Lift the twisted bread carefully and place in a parchment
lined loaf pan. Cover with a dish cloth and let the dough rise for another
hour. Repeat for the second ball of dough.
Preheat the
oven at 350. Make an egg wash and brush the tops of the loaves prior to pacing
them in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Take the bread out of the oven and let cool
before serving!
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