Cranberry Orange Babka

Before the stores sell out of cranberries, make this yummy bread. The recipe is from King Arthur Flour’s website, which is jam packed with tasty things to cook up in your kitchen!
 

Ingredients

Dough

• 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm water
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons (43g) softened butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia, optional; for enhanced flavor
• 2 1/4 cups (269g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Filling

• 1/4 cup (57g) orange juice
• 1/3 cup (71g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (99g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup (57g) dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon (14g) melted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon orange oil or 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon-
• 1/4 cup (43g) Orange Jammy Bits, optional

Instructions

To make the dough: Combine all the ingredients and mix and knead to make a smooth, supple dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise until it has just about doubled, 60 to 90 minutes. 

To make the filling: While the dough is rising, combine the orange juice, brown sugar, and both types of cranberries in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken to a jam-like consistency, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the melted butter, orange oil or grated rind, and spice.

Transfer the cranberry mixture to a heat-safe bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature. 

To shape the loaf: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and roll it into a 12" x 14" rectangle. Spread the cranberry filling over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2" border along the edge of one of the short sides. Sprinkle Orange Jammy Bits evenly over the filling.

Starting with the filling-covered short edge, roll the dough up jelly-roll style, sealing the edge.

Cut the log in half lengthwise to expose the filling. Place each half side by side, filled sides up.

Keeping the filled sides up, twist or braid the two logs together, working from the center to each end.

Pinch the ends together, and place the twisted log in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.

Cover the loaf and allow it to rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until it's crowned 1/2" to 1" over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

The shaped loaf waiting for the final rise.

Bake the babka for 45 to 50 minutes, tenting it with aluminum foil about halfway through baking to prevent over-browning. The top of the finished loaf will be golden brown, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf will read 190°F or above.

Remove the loaf from the oven. For a softer crust, brush the top of the loaf with melted butter, if desired. After 10 minutes, remove the babka from the pan and transfer it to a rack to cool completely.

The cooling loaf

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