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Almond Easter Bread

Reggie Dwork <reggie@jeff-and-reggie.com>
Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:37:10 -0700
v114.n015.1
* 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"
                                      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.