* Exported from MasterCook *
Bread, Almond Easter
Recipe By :PJ Pickles
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :1:00
Categories : Bread Bread-Bakers Mailing List
Holidays
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water -- 100 to 110 F (40 to 45C)
2 envelopes dry yeast -- 2 (.25g ea)
1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
4 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour -- divided
1 pound butter -- (1 stick)
12 1/2 ounces almond cake and pastry filling -- (not almond paste)
1/2 cup butter -- softened
white sugar
6 eggs -- dyed hard-cooked Easter eggs
1 egg -- beaten
2 tablespoons white sugar -- plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup sliced almonds -- divided
This is an almond-filled Easter bread adorned with Easter eggs and
almonds. The thing about this recipe is, if you make 2 you might as
well make 8. It takes time so this year I was able to start the
tradition with my nieces who will be helping me. I swear that this is
the greatest Easter bread.
Original recipe makes 2 breads
1. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the warm water in a 1-cup
measuring cup, and sprinkle with the yeast. Stir to mix the yeast
into the water, and let stand in a warm place until frothy and
doubled in volume, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir together 1/3 cup of sugar,
2 raw eggs, salt, the yeast mixture, milk, and 3 cups of flour in a
large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes to develop
gluten. Mix the remaining flour into the batter, and beat until the
dough is shiny, soft, and elastic, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the
bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Place sticks of butter 1" apart between 2 large pieces of waxed
paper. Roll the butter out into a square about 12" on a side, place
the waxed paper with square of butter onto a baking sheet, and freeze
for 15 minutes.
3. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, turn the
dough around to pick up flour on all sides, and sprinkle the dough
with flour. Roll the dough out into a rectangle 18" square. Brush off
excess flour from the dough, if necessary. Peel off the top layer of
waxed paper from the butter square. Place the square of cold butter,
remaining waxed-paper side up, catty-corner onto the dough rectangle
so the corners of the dough extend out beyond the butter. Peel off
the remaining waxed paper. Fold the top and bottom points over the
butter, meeting in the middle; fold the left and right points over
the butter. Pinch the sides and seams of the dough together to
enclose the butter in the dough.
4. Roll the flat dough envelope filled with butter, seam side down,
out on the floured surface to a rectangle 12 by 24", and fold the
dough in half (into a 12x12" square), then in half again, to make a
6x12" square of dough with four butter layers. Chill the dough for
about 5 minutes; then roll the dough out again to a 12 by 24"
rectangle, and fold in quarters as before; chill, repeat rolling and
folding the dough one more time. Refrigerate dough at least 1 more
hour or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Cut the dough into two pieces (you will see buttery layers). On a
well-floured surface, roll out a dough piece into a rectangle 30 by
9"; cut the rectangle into 3 long strips, 30 by 3" each. Mix almond
filling, 1/2 cup of butter, and 1/2 cup of sugar together in a bowl,
and spread half the filling mixture all down the center of the 3
strips. Fold the strips over the filling the long way and pinch the
edges closed, enclosing the filling in 3 long ropes. Braid the 3
ropes together, and arrange the braid into a ring. Pinch the ends
closed. Repeat for 2nd dough piece and remaining half of filling,
making two ring-shaped braided pastries.
7. Place the pastries onto the lined baking sheets, reforming into
symmetrical rings if necessary. Set 3 hard-cooked Easter eggs, wedged
between braids, into top of each braided pastry. Brush pastries, eggs
and all, with beaten egg; sprinkle with additional white sugar and
sliced almonds.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes.
Source:
"allrecipes.com"
S(Internet address):
"http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Almond-Easter-Bread/";
Start to Finish Time:
"3:20"
T(cook):
"0:40"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 372 Calories; 24g Fat (60.0%
calories from fat); 6g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;
141mg Cholesterol; 387mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2
Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.