Fresh cherry babka with icing drizzle

Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just looking to try something new, this Cherry Babka brings together the ease of modern cooking with the nostalgia of old-world baking. TheInstant Pottakes care of the filling, your oven does the rest, and you end up with a loaf that looks impressive and tastes delicious. To prepare the dough: (make the day before or several hours before on the same day): 1.

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix briefly to blend the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, and water and keep mixing.

Add the butter a tablespoon, ensuring each bit is incorporated before adding the next. Mix on medium-low speed for 10-12 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. It will be soft and may not pull away from the bottom of the bowl completely (this is normal).Occasionally, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula during mixing to ensure everything is well incorporated.

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Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl (the oil prevents the dough from drying out). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight. The dough becomes firm in the fridge, this is normal.

Leave it at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften before using. Alternatively, if you want to make this in one day, let the dough rise at room temperature for 1½-2 hours or until it doubles. This could take longer, depending on the temperature of the room.

Grease two loaf pans 23cm x 13cm x 8 cm (9 x5 inches, or similar sizes) with cooking spray, or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper to ensure easy removal later. Set aside. To make the cherry compote/jam (this can be made in advance): 1.

Add the cherries and sugar to the bowl of an Instant Pot set to Sauté. Cook for 2 minutes until the juices in the fruit have released. If necessary, add a tablespoon or two of water.

Cook the cherries on High pressure for three minutes, then release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the rest of the pressure if necessary. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and cook the cherry preserve very rapidly, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until 80% of the water has evaporated. Remove and decant into a bowl to cool and allow to thicken.

If it has not thickened to a jam-like consistency, cook it for a few minutes longer. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and roll each piece out into a 40cm x 30 cm (16×12-inch) rectangle. Position it so the longer edge is closest to you.

Spread half the cherry preserves evenly over the surface using an offset spatula. This should be about ¾ of a cup.

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