by Chef Paul Short and Executive Sous Chef, Aaron Glaza, Madison College Culinary Arts & Hospitality Programs
From our 2013 Wollersheim Winery Open House
INGREDIENTS | Dough
1/2 tablespoon of active dry yeast
1/4 cup of warm milk
2 ounces of bread flour
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature
4 ounces of cake flour
8 brioche molds that have been lightly buttered and floured
INGREDIENTS | Syrup
2 cups water
12 ounces of sugar
1 unpeeled orange, quartered
2 cups Wollersheim Dry Riesling
INGREDIENTS | Finished Babas
1 Quart heavy whipping cream
Dried fruit (dried cherries, cranberries, or any of your favorite dried fruit); In season, use fresh berries.
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 cup Wollersheim Dry Riesling
1 cup Apricot Glaze
PREPARATION
- Combine yeast in milk that is between 105°F to 115°F.
- Stir in bread flour to create a soft sponge.
- Allow sponge to bubble, rise and fall.
- Using a paddle, mix into the sponge, separately, eggs, vanilla, salt, room temperature butter.
- Add cake flour and mix into a smooth paste.
- Pipe into brioche molds that have been buttered and floured; forms should only be half full.
- Cover and set in a warm place and let double in size.
- Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes (pierce with a tooth pick, it should come out clean).
- Remove from mold immediately and place on a wire rack.
- Cut crust from the tops.
- Prepare syrup by combining all of the syrup ingredients, bring to a boil, and strain.
- Submerge cakes one at a time in syrup and let the cakes absorb the syrup; they should have completely absorbed the syrup before removing.
- Place on a rack to allow excess syrup to drip off of cakes.
- Brush sides and top of cakes with apricot glaze.
- Whip the heavy whipping cream with the powder sugar until it forms soft peaks.
- Combine the dried fruit and wine and bring to a simmer. Strain fruit from wine and let cool.
- Place some dried fruit mixture on Babas and top with spoonful of whipped cream and serve.
YIELD: 8 servings
