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Categories:
sour cherries golden raisins water honey yeast orange zest salt flour butter paper egg yolks heavy cream turbinado sugar confectioners
Viewed: 109 - Published at: 9 years agoIngredients
- 1 3/4 to 2 13 cups dried sour cherries, 9 to 12 ounces (see note)
- 1 13 cups golden raisins, about 8 ounces
- 1 1/4 cups water (from soaking fruit)
- 1/4 cup mild honey
- 1/2 cake fresh yeast, or 1 teaspoon dried yeast
- 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest, about 4 small oranges
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour to dust work surface
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- Parchment paper and cornmeal for baking sheet
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Method
- Combine the cherries and raisins in a deep bowl, barely cover with water and soak for two to three hours, or until plumped.
- Drain well, reserving one and a quarter cups of the soaking water, and spread the fruit on paper towels to dry off a bit.
- Combine one cup of the reserved soaking water with the honey and place in the freezer until very cold; a few ice crystals are all right.
- Put the remaining quarter-cup of soaking water in the medium-sized bowl of an electric mixer and add the yeast.
- When the yeast dissolves and foams, stir in the chilled soaking water, orange zest and salt.
- If using a heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook, add three-and-a-quarter cups of flour.
- If using a household mixer with two beaters, add three-and-a-half cups of flour.
- Beat the dough on low speed until very elastic, smooth and shiny, forming a single mass around the beater.
- This will take 12 to 20 minutes depending on the mixer.
- The dough will eventually climb the beaters of household machines and must be pushed down repeatedly with a wooden spoon.
- When ready, it will be soft, wet and slightly sticky.
- Remove the beaters and knead in the butter by hand, then knead in the drained fruits.
- Put the dough in a lightly buttered shallow bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least eight hours but preferably overnight.
- Dough may be held for 36 hours before the next step.
- Line a large flat pan or two cookie sheets with parchment and sprinkle generously with cornmeal.
- Divide the dough into two rounds and roll each on a lightly floured board until three-eighths-of-an-inch thick.
- Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet and allow them to rise, covered with plastic wrap, until they are puffy and hold an impression when dented with a fingertip, about an hour.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the cream and set aside.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Use the fingertips to gently pockmark the surfaces of the rounds, then brush with the glaze and sprinkle with sugar.
- There may be glaze left over.
- Bake for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 375 and bake 20 to 30 minutes more, or until richly browned.
- Invert on racks to cool, then turn glaze side up and dust with confectioners' sugar.
