Ipicked up the same clue to Michael's dilemma that Roxanne did: lack of or
inadequate kneading. I thought the amount of yeast should be increased,
too. The recipe intrigued me, so I tried it by using my bread machine for
mixing, initial kneading, and first rise. I used 1 Tbsp. instant yeast. The
resulting dough was silky and smooth to the touch, only very slightly
sticky. I added no flour, even for shaping the dough into the ring. I
didn't add the dried fruit topping or the baby figurine. I baked it on a
large pizza pan. The result was a huge bread with brown, crisp crust and a
"dimple" where the hole should be. The interior was a light, fine crumb
bread with an angel food cake texture. I peeled off the crust and discarded
it, then tore the innards into chunks and used half of them to make the
best bread pudding I've ever had. One-third of the chunks would have been
enough. The other half is in the freezer, for the next bread pudding. This
is a brioche-like bread with spices.
I have had a delightful exchange of messages with Michael, who sent digital
photos of his resulting masterpiece.
Ellen