Cherry Recipe: Cherry Couronne with Two Drizzles and Chopped Almonds

This week’s challenge for the Great British Bake Off Bakealong was for a babka. The last time this challenge rolled through I made Cheese Babka Two Ways and enjoyed the process because it reminded me of my Polish grandmother and her baking. This time around I decided that a babka was a filled sweet bread that was twisted and baked so heck, I really wanted to make a couronne so I would call it a French babka! This delightful pastry has really become a favorite of mine and I have had so much fun with all of the variations I have made from the classic Apricot Couronne to Strawberry Pear Couronne, not to mention the savory couronne I tried – I really do need to make another one of them! This time my couronne is a cherry recipe as I used the last of the fresh cherries I had in the yurt.

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Cherry Couronne with Chocolate and Vanilla Drizzles and Chopped Almonds

Serves 10 – 12

For the Pastry

• 9 oz bread flour (around 2 cups)
• 1 tsp salt
• heaping tablespoon active dry yeast (1/3 oz)
• 3 1/2 TBS butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup less 1 TBS milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

For the Filling

• 4 0z unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 1/4 cups chopped, fresh cherries

For the Drizzles and Topping

• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder or vanilla bean paste
• 1 TBS milk OR if not using the vanilla bean powder or paste you can use vanilla extract
• 2 oz semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 TBS unsalted butter
• 2 TBS toasted whole almonds, roughly chopped

Make the Dough:

• Add the flour to the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix in the yeast, butter, egg, salt and milk. It will make a soft dough. (A note – a kitchen scale makes baking more precise)
• Add the dough hook and knead for about 10 minutes or if you prefer knead by hand until you have a soft, silky dough.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover to let rise for an hour or until doubled in size
• While the dough is rising, 

Make the Filling:

• Beat the butter, cardamom, salt and brown sugar together until smooth.
• Like a baking tray with parchment paper or silicone
• When the dough is done it’s first rise, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter
• Roll it out to a 13 x 10? rectangle
• Add the sugar mixture and spread to just about the edges
• Sprinkle the chopped cherries evenly over the sugar mixture.
• With the wide edge facing you, tightly roll the dough up like a jelly roll.
• Pinch the edge to close and roll it to seal.
• Cut the dough all the way through, keeping it intact for just a little bit at the top – for a video of how to do this go HERE
• Twist the two pieces together, like a two part braid and then bring the ends together to form a circle (like a crown) pinch the two ends together gently to seal.
• Carefully place the dough on the prepared baking sheet, cover (I used a linen towel) and let rise until doubled in size. About 30 – 45 min
• Preheat oven to 400°
• Bake the couronne for 25 – 35 min until risen and golden brown. Turn halfway through baking
• Cool on a wire rack
• While the couronne is cooling heat the apricot jam with a splash of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the couranne with the jam to give it a nice shine.
• Melt the chocolate and butter together. Drizzle over the top of the cooled couronne.
• Mix the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla powder or paste with the water to make an icing. (If using the vanilla extract use that.)  Drizzle it over the couronne.
• sprinkle with the chopped almonds
• Let fully cool before serving

How Was the Cherry Recipe?

As I suspected it would be, this was a tasty pastry. I love cardamom and cherry together and it was well complemented by the chocolate and almonds. We have both been enjoying it. I will say that the Blackberry Vanilla Couronne is still my favorite so far, but who knows what I might come up with in the future.