Apricot Crumb Coffee Cake

This picture shows a slice of the coffee cake on a white, lace edged plate on a marble counter.

5 from 2 votes

This Apricot Crumb Coffee Cake with its almond paste crumb topping teams up with an apricot filling in a rich, 60 Second Brioche that keeps moist for four or five days, covered, at room temperature.

Prep Time1 15

Cook Time1

Rising2

Total Time4 15

Course: Coffee Cake

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crumb Coffee Cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Helen S Fletcher

Equipment

9x3" Cheesecake or springform pan

Ingredients

Brioche

¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams or 1 ½ sticks)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons warm water
Pinch granulated sugar
2 ¼ cup bread flour (315 grams)
1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup half and half or light cream

Filling

¾ pound dried apricots
1 cup water
5 tablespoons butter (75 grams)
½ cup powdered sugar (65 grams)
1 ½ teapoons vanilla
2 teaspoons cocoa, optional

Almond Paste Crumb Topping

1 cup cake flour (125 grams)
½ cup almond paste (125 grams)
⅔ cup granulated sugar (130 grams)
½ cup unsalted butter (114 grams)

Assembly

1 large egg, well beaten

Instructions

Brioche

Cut the butter into small pieces by cutting the stick in half lengthwise, the cutting it into half inch pieces. Place it back in the refrigerator to keep cold.
Make a sponge by dissolving the yeast and pinch of granulated sugar in the 3 tablespoons warm water. Add 3 tablespoons flour from the measured amount of 2 ¼ cups flour. Stir together to completely mix the ingredients. Cover with film and set aside to double or more while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
In the processor bowl fitted with the steel blade, place the remaining flour, salt and sugar. Process 5 seconds to mix.
Place the cold butter in a circle over the flour. Process the butter until it is indistinguishable, about 20 seconds. Scrape down and process about 5 seconds more.
Place the eggs in a circle over the dry ingredients, pour the cream over the eggs, and add the sponge, also in a circle. Process approximately 20 to 25 seconds until the ball which initially forms breaks down into a creamy, evenly dispersed batter in the processor bowl. Do not stop processing until the batter is formed, as the motor may stall when you try to restart it. If the ball doesn't break down, that's fine as long as everything is mixed well.
The batter will be very sticky and that is as it should be. Remove from the processor bowl and place in an ungreased bowl. The batter has very little elasticity and is easily managed with a large plastic pastry scraper. Cover securely with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in bulk about 2 to 2 ½ hours. Stir down and refrigerate overnight. It may or may not rise again and that is fine. Punch down and use as directed. It can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using.

Apricot Filling

Place the apricots and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and, stir frequently until most of the water is gone.
Place the apricots and remaining ingredients, except the cocoa, in a processor bowl and process until smooth. Set aside to cool. Stir the cocoa in. This may be made a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Remove to room temperature before using.

Almond Paste Crumb Topping

Place the flour and almond paste (either home made or bought) in the bowl of a processor. Process until the almond paste is indistinguishable.
Add the sugar and butter and process until it begins to form crumbs. Switch to pulses and pulse only until large crumbs form. Remove them to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Assembly

Spray a 9x3" cheesecake or springform pan with a non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
Remove the brioche from the refrigerator, punch down, pat into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 20x11 inch rectangle so the long horizontally in front of you to make rolling up easier.
Spread the filling evenly over the brioche within ½" of the edges. Roll up tightly from the 20"side and pinch the seam securely together. Roll and gently stretch it until it is 30" long. If it is very soft at this time, coil it up on a parchment line baking sheet and chill to firm up. Do not let it freeze.
Starting in the middle of the pan, coil the roll around towards the outer edge of the pan. Press it down to flatten and fill the pan.
Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk. Because everything is cold, this could take 4 to 4 ½ hours to rise. This step can be sped up by placing the covered coffee cake on a rimmed baking sheet and placing in the oven. Turn the oven on to 350°F for exactly 1 minute. Turn the oven off. Leave the light on in the oven and check back in about an hour. Make sure the oven is no hotter than about 85 to 90 degrees max. If it is, prop the door open with a wooden spoon. The coffee cake should be risen in about 2 hours or so.
Remove the cake from the oven and heat it to 375°F.
When the coffee cake is full risen, brush it with the beaten egg and distribute the almond paste crumbs evenly over the brioche.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is browned. A tester is difficult here because the filling stays moist and clings to the tester. Truth to tell, I turned one into concrete before I figured it out. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent it with foil.
Cool until barely warm and release the cake. Dust with powdered sugar to serve
Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. It can also be made and frozen, without the powdered sugar for several months well wrapped. Thaw completely at room temperature. Refresh by wrapping in foil, leaving a small hole in the top, for about 5 to 30 minutes.

Notes

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above

As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency. Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume. For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.

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For additional information see my post, 60 Second Brioche and How to Make Almond Paste or Not.

Every component of this recipe is really easy to make and can be made ahead. The apricot filling can be made a week ahead, the crumb filling 3 or four days ahead and the brioche up to 3 days ahead. In fact, the coffee cake itself can be made, baked and frozen. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 350°F oven, well wrapped in foil, for 20 to 30 minutes.

Any leftover almond paste can be frozen to use later in other desserts.

The brioche should be very cold when working with it. If at any point it starts to become warm, place it on a parchment line baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze briefly to harden the butter again.

A sponge is made for the brioche because the high percentages of fat and sugar in yeast doughs inhibit fermentation. For this reason, most rich yeast doughs are mixed by the sponge method so it gets a head start in the fermentation process by mixing a small amount of yeast, water and flour together. This small amount is allowed to rise and then added to the remaining ingredients allowing the yeast which has multipled many fold to work more quickly.

It is easiest to fill and work if it is rolled out with the long, horizontal side facing you.

Use the oven proofer to speed the rise of the shaped coffee cake. It should double in a couple of hours. If rising at room temperature, it will take at least that long or longer.

This is a show stopper of a coffee cake. And while usually served in the morning or early afternoon with coffee or tea, this can be served anytime, anywhere.

The coffee cake lasts at room temperature for days as long as it is covered.

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