Baking with Yeast...Orange Almond Braided Coffee Cake

This recipe looks complicated at first glance, but it’s no more difficult than cinnamon rolls.  And, it is different and delicious.  The dough is very nice and easy to work with.  The filling tastes like the filling in the famous Pella “Dutch Letters.” This is a perfect Spring treat.  "Tulip Time" in Pella is May 6-8th, and the tulips there are already looking great!

Don’t buy the “almond paste pie filling”; get the plain almond paste.  It is dry ground almonds; the other filling starts with “high fructose corn syrup” and almonds are about the 3^rd or 4^th ingredient!  In our area, heavily ethnic Dutch, it is in every grocery.  I purchased Solo brand, found with the pie fillings.  It is easy to divide the contents of the can or box.

I made my filling while the dough was rising the first time so I would be ready.  This time, my pastry bag was really handy; an extra-large round #2A tip squeezed out just the right amount of filling.  Too much, and it will seep out while baking.  I liked a few sliced almonds on top to echo the filling.                     

 Orange Almond Braided Coffee Cake

                        Coffee Cake

  1          Cup  Milk -- Combine with water and heat to 120° to 130°

     ¼    Cup  Water

  4 ½    Cups  Flour, All-purpose -- (1# 4 1/4 ounces)

     ¼    Cup  Sugar

  1         Teaspoon  Salt

  2         Teaspoons  Instant Yeast

     ¼    Cup  Butter

  1         Large  Egg

                        Filling

  3 ½   Ounces  Almond Paste, crumbled slightly

     ¼   Cup  Brown Sugar -- firmly packed

     ¼   Cup  Butter -- softened

     ¼   Teaspoon  Grated Orange Peel

                        Glaze Frosting

  1        Cup  Powdered Sugar

  3       Tablespoons  Milk

     ½   Teaspoon  Almond Extract

     ¼   Teaspoon  Grated Orange Peel

1. In large mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast, softened butter and egg.  Add heated milk and water mixture; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth - 1-2 minutes.  Add remaining flour until dough leaves sides of bowl.
2. Change to dough hook and knead on setting 2 for 5- 6 minutes.  Let rise in bowl, in warm place, covered, 15-20 minutes.  Punch down dough.
3. While dough is rising, in small mixer bowl, combine filling ingredients.  Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1-2 minutes). (Almond paste is about half of a 8 ounce can – it comes divided in 4ths).
4. Divide dough in 2 equal portions.  Roll one portion into three 10 x 3" rectangles (about 6 ounces each).  Spread about 2 tablespoons of filling down center of each rectangle within 1/2 inch of edge on all sides.  Bring long sides together over filling; pinch sides and ends tightly to seal.
5. Gently braid 3 filled pieces together to make 1 coffee cake.  Pinch ends together to seal, tuck ends under braid.
6. Repeat with remaining portion of dough to make second coffee cake.  Transfer both coffee cakes to greased (I used parchment) cookie sheet.  Cover; let rise until double in size (15-20 minutes).
7. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.  In small bowl, stir together all glaze ingredients.  Drizzle over warm coffee cakes.  Let cool completely before slicing. 

  "Land O Lakes Treasury of Country Heritage Meals & Menus"

  "2 Coffee Cakes"

Frosted Orange Rolls

 I wanted to try making Orange Sweet Rolls and decided to use the roll dough I use the most for coffee cakes and cinnamon rolls. The filling and glaze is just made up as I went, not difficult as they are made like most cinnamon rolls. Well they were a great hit and the aroma of them baking had everyone in the kitchen waiting till they came out of the oven. The roll dough keeps well in the refrigerator for at least seven days so you can make as many or as few as you want or need at one time. You could add raisins or nuts to the filling if you want, Golden Raisins or Slivered Almonds would be good.

Frosted Orange Rolls

Filling for Orange Rolls

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange rind  (juice orange after grating)
3 tablespoons soft butter
Directions
Stir the grated orange rind into the sugar and set aside.
(use your fingers to stir rind in until the sugar becomes a light orange color)

Roll dough into a rectangle about 15x12 or until about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick

Spread with the softened butter

Sprinkle with the sugar you have added the orange rind to. 

Roll up starting with the long side.

Slice into 1/2 inch slices and place in greased pan.

Using two thirds of the dough I had a 9x13 inch pan and a 9 inch round pan full.

Let raise for 1 hour or until double in bulk. 

Bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes. If getting too dark lay a piece of foil over them.

Tip pan over on rack and then invert back right side up. Scrape any sugar left in pan and put on rolls.

Let cool on rack while you make the glaze. If too warm the glaze will melt and run all over.

Icing for orange rolls

In mixer cream

2 Tablespoons cream cheese

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Add orange juice till frosting is the thickness you like. Remember it will thin a little more if put on warm rolls. 

Challah With Kruszonka

Top Left, counter-clockwise:  Rising dough, weighing ingredients,
Brushing with egg, Strands to braid, Loaf ready for oven

Here’s a very pretty Spring holiday bread that is also surprisingly quick and simple to make.  Kruszonka is a kind of streusel or crumble that doesn’t use brown sugar; it uses powdered sugar and isn’t nearly so sweet.  It is often used on challah, a nice egg bread.  I used my favorite, very easy recipe for the dough from the old “Cuisinarts The Connoisseur's Choice "  newsletters, and used the crumble recipe I also use on some quick breads. 

Make the crumble first thing and let it sit in the refrigerator until needed.  That keeps it from melting into the dough too much.  It may seem dry, but if you use too much butter, it will not stay in nice crumbles on your loaf.  Just use your clean fingers to mix it completely.

 If you use instant or rapid rise yeast, the dough goes pretty quickly too.  When you add the liquids to the dry ingredients in the processor, let it dribble in through the small hole usually used for oil in salad dressings, it will run in at just the right speed to make a nice dough.

Challah With Kruszonka

                          Dough

  3 1/4     cups  Bread Flour -- 14 3/4 ounces

  1 1/2     teaspoons  Salt

  1            package  Instant Yeast

  3            tablespoons  Sugar

     2/3     cup  Water -- 115-120°

     1/3     cup  Salad Oil

  1            large  Egg

                        Glaze

  1            large  Egg

     1/8     teaspoon  Salt

                        Crumble

     1/2     Cup  Flour, All-purpose -- 65 grams

     1/4     Cup  Powdered Sugar -- 32 grams

  2 1/2     Tablespoons  Butter -- softened

Combine the crumble ingredients with a fork, squeeze together with your clean hands to make a soft dough.  Refrigerate until bread dough is in the pan and ready to go in the oven.

Fit food processor with metal blade.  Mix flour, salt, yeast and sugar until just combined, 2-3 pulses.   Pulse in the egg.

Combine hot water and oil; pour through small feed tube hole in a steady stream while processor is running.  Mix until dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl.

Continue processing for 60 seconds to knead. 

Let rest in covered processor bowl in a warm place for 10 minutes (1-1 1/2 hours for active dry yeast).  Punch dough down on a slightly floured surface.

If braiding, divide into 3 equal pieces (about 9 ounces) for each loaf.  Roll each piece into a cylinder, about 1 1/2" x 15" long.  Braid loosely and gently, tuck ends under.  Place on a greased or parchment lined 1/4 sheet pan or jelly roll pan.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-35 minutes (up to 45 minutes to 1 hour with active dry yeast).  Brush loaf with salt and egg mixture. 

Remove the crumble mixture from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the loaf in a mixture of 1/4" to 1/2" crumbles. (Save any remaining egg and crumble)

Bake in lower 1/3 of oven for 20 minutes. If necessary, brush with more egg down the center and sprinkle with any remaining crumble at this time.

Lower temperature to 350° and bake 10-15 minutes more or until bread reads 200° on an instant read thermometer.

Yield:  "1 Loaf"

Requires 12-14 cup size processor.

2015 Cost:  $1.34 per loaf

Upside down Pecan Rolls

  On a cloudy rainy day cinnamon rolls sounded good. This recipe was new to me and while I thought the roll dough handled well and the rolls were good, the next time I would either omit the brown sugar syrup or at least cut it in half.

  The recipe calls for the roll of dough to be cut into 6 pieces to bake, I just could not bring myself to make them that large. I ended up with 12 rolls instead of six and they were quite large. I will leave it up to you how big you want them.

  I am going to give you the recipe as written which is how I made them, keeping in mind that the sticky syrup is quite sweet and you might want to cut back on it.

Upside down Pecan Rolls

2 packages (¼ ounce each) active dry yeast

½ cup warm water (110° to 115°

1 ¾ cup sugar, divided

⅔ cup warm milk (110° to 115°)

¾ cup softened butter, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg, and one egg yolk

4 ¾ to 5 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 

Brown Sugar Syrup

1 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup butter

2 tablespoon water

1 cup pecan halves (use all of the pecans, if you cut syrup in half)

  In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add ¾ cup of the sugar, milk, ½ cup of the butter, salt, egg, egg yolk and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.

  Use dough hook or put on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides of dough. Cover and let rise until double about 1 ½ hours. Punch dough down. Roll out on floured board to 18 by 24 rectangle.   Melt butter and spread over dough. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon leaving a ½ inch edge. Roll up jelly roll style. Cut into 6 or 12 pieces.

  In small pan heat butter, brown sugar and water. Bring to boil and cook stirring for 1 minute. Pour into bottom of greased 13 by 9 inch pan. Place pecans on top, flat side up. Place cinnamon rolls in pan over syrup. Press gently in place.

  Let rise again for about 1 hour or until double.

  Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Immediately turn out on platter. Let cool on wire rack.

Best of Country Breads

Holiday Braid

When I saw this recipe I had to try it – just to try my hand at 6 strand braiding with something tasty.  This festive loaf came out really well – although I still have more “want-to” than “can-do” when it comes to braiding!  Doesn’t keep me from trying though.  The recipe includes simpler braiding directions for you to try.                   

                              Holiday Braid

  1         Package  Instant Yeast

  1         Cup  Warm Milk -- 120°-125°

     ½     Cup  Sugar

  4         Cups  Flour, All-purpose

  1         Teaspoon  Salt

  1         Teaspoon  Grated Lemon Peel

     ¼     Teaspoon  Ground Cardamom

     ½     Cup  Butter

  1         Large  Egg

     ½     Cup  Red and Green Candied Cherries -- chopped

     ¼     Cup  Golden Raisins

     ¼     Cup  Pecans -- chopped

  1        Large  Egg Yolk

  1        Tablespoon  Water

                        Frosting

     ½    Cup  Powdered Sugar

  1        Tablespoon  Milk

             Additional  Candied Cherries -- optional

In large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, lemon peel and cardamom.  Cut in butter until crumbly.

Add whole egg;, then warm milk.  Mix well.  Stir in cherries, raisins and pecans.

Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.  Cover, and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Punch down dough.  Divide into 4 ropes about 15" long.  Braid 3 ropes.  Divide last rope into 2 pieces and twist.  Place twisted dough in indentation along top of loaf.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Beat egg yolk and water; brush over loaf.  bake at 350° for 20 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil; bake 20 minutes more.  Cool on wire rack.  Combine sugar and milk; drizzle over loaf and decorate with cherries if desired.

To braid a high, 6 strand loaf:

To braid; lay 6 equal 15-16" strands side by side.  Pinch top end.  Braiding towards you, loosely, 

Step 1:  Move second to the right strand to the far left position.

Step 2:  Move the far right strand over 2 strands to the center position.

Step 3:  Move the new second to the left strand over to the far right position.

Step 4:  Move the far left strand over 2 strands to the center position. 

Repeat to end.  Pinch and tuck ends under.  Lift up center of loaf gently if needed to shape loaf.

Transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet. 

  "1 Loaf"

  "Taste Of Home's Holiday Recipes 2003"

Appelbrood

I saw this recipe last year on the beautiful website De Gulle Aarde (The Earth's Bounty).  Hanneke made a simple roll dough, and arranged it in a tart pan with apples she coated with cinnamon and sugar.   I used my feather roll recipe with about the same amount of flour as she used for the dough, and simply made it in my food processor.  The size pan and baking time and temperature are the same.  Next time I may use a little less apple – I used about 10 ounces.  I did peel my apples, Hanneke did not.  She gave no measurements for the cinnamon and sugar, and I used the mixture my husband makes for cinnamon toast.  About 1/3 cup sugar to cinnamon for taste is probably about how much I used.

 Having lived in the Dutch community of Pella, Iowa, we have learned to love the bakery’s apple bread, but it is much sweeter than Hanneke’s recipe.  When we lived in Europe, we found that the desserts, at first, seemed disappointingly not sweet to our American palates, until we learned to like the good taste of the food without as much sugar.  We enjoyed her authentic Dutch recipe, and I am going to practice getting it looking perfect.   It reminds me of our Grandmother's Koffee Kuchen – good. 

Apple Bread (Appelbrood)

  6 2/3    ounces  flour, all-purpose

     3/4    Teaspoon  instant yeast

  2           Tablespoons  potato flakes

  1           Tablespoon  sugar

     1/2    Teaspoon  salt

  5           fluid ounces  water -- 120°-125°

  2           Tablespoons  salad oil

  1           Large  Apple -- peeled and sliced thinly (may use 2)

                Cinnamon

                Sugar

Mix flour, potato flakes, salt, yeast and sugar until just combined, 2-3 pulses.

Pour water and oil through small feed tube in a steady steam.  Mix until dough forms a ball and cleans the side of the bowl.

Continue processing for 60 seconds to knead. 

Let rise in bowl for 20 minutes.  Punch dough down on a slightly floured surface.

Stir down, cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Roll out thinly and cut into strips about 1" wide. 

Place in a greased 8" round cake pan lined with greased parchment paper on edge alternating with apple slices.

Fill the mold with the strips of dough and the apple pieces, which are dipped in the sugar / cinnamon mixture, until they are used. Let it rest for half an hour and then bake for about 20 minutes in an oven at 425 degrees.

Frost when cool with a powdered sugar glaze if desired or spread with warmed apricot jam, as Hanneke suggests.

Per Serving: 136 Calories; 4g Fat (24.6% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 135mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Walnut Cream Braids

I like just about anything with a cream cheese filling so we tried this recipe from "The Taste of Home Baking Book".    This is a very buttery dough that doesn't raise much.  I would think that pecans would be just as good, and perhaps some of those holiday salted nuts might work as well.

                            Walnut Cream Braids

     ¼     Cup  Warm Water -- 120°-130°

     ½     Cup  Butter -- softened

  2        Tablespoons  Sugar

     ½     Teaspoon  Salt

  2         Teaspoons  Instant Yeast -- 1 package

  1         Large  Egg

  2 ½     Cups  Flour, All-purpose -- 11 1/4 ounces

                        Filling:

  6         Ounces  Cream Cheese -- softened

     ¾     Cup  Sugar

     ½     Cup  Walnuts -- finely chopped

             Powdered Sugar -- optional

In large mixer bowl, add 1 1/2 cups flour (6 3/4 ounces)  butter, sugar, salt, yeast and egg.  Stir in water (120-130°; beat on low speed for 3 mintues.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Knead by hand 6-8 minutes.  Cover and let rise in a warm place 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar; set aside.

Punch down dough.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half.  Roll each portion into a 12 x 8" rectangle; place on greased or parchment lined baking sheets.  Spread half of the cream cheese mixture down the center third of each rectangle.  Sprinkle with half of walnuts.

On each long side, cut 1" wide strips about 2 1/2 inches into center.  Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling; seal ends.  Repeat with second braid.  Cover and let rise 15-20 minutes.

Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until browned.  Cool on wire racks.  Dust with powdered sugar if desired (or glaze with powdered sugar and milk glaze).  Store in refrigerator.

Cost for 2 braids: $3.32

  "2 Loaves"

Seven Hearts Breakfast Ring

As a kid, I remember Swedish tea rings being all the rage for breakfasts or coffee time.  Maybe it was being raised in Minnesota, the home of Gold Medal flour and lots of Scandinavians!  I couldn’t find a recipe in our Mom’s 1946 Better Homes and Gardens, but found one in the 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book.  They said that the recipe drew raves at their cooking demonstrations.  Here is a novel twist on that idea.

I have looked at this recipe in "Home Baking with Robin Hood Flour" since I got the book, thought it was beautiful, but too fussy.  Well, I was wrong again – it is beautiful, but wasn’t as much work as making many cookies.  I made one ring, although the recipe calls for 2 – and I have included my half recipe for you. 

This gets somewhat sticky underneath, so I was glad I lined my pan with parchment paper.  It made a 12” ring, so if you have a large pizza pan, that would also work.  The dough was light and buttery, but rolled out easily.  Do drain your cherries, perhaps pat with a paper towel to cut some of the liquid to cut down on stickiness.  Mark your sections lightly with a table knife so you have just the right amount to get your hearts – then cut with a kitchen scissors.

Your friends, family or co-workers will love this.                  

Seven Hearts Breakfast Ring

 

1 Tea Ring	2 Tea Rings
3          cups  Flour, All-purpose (13 ½ oz)	6            cups  Flour, All-purpose (1# 11 oz)
2          teaspoons  Instant Yeast	4          teaspoons  Instant Yeast
1/4   cup  Sugar	1/2   cup  Sugar
3/4   teaspoon  Salt	1 1/2   teaspoons  Salt
1/4   cup  Butter -- softened	1/2   cup  Butter -- softened
3/4   cup  Water	1 1/2   cups  Water
1          large  Eggs	2          large  Eggs
Filling	Filling
1/2   cup  Coconut	1          cup  Coconut
3/8   cup  Maraschino Cherries	3/4   cup  Maraschino Cherries
1/8   cup  Sugar	1/4   cup  Sugar
1/8   cup  Butter -- softened	1/4   cup  Butter -- softened
1/4   teaspoon  Almond Extract	1/2    teaspoon  Almond Extract

• Combine half of flour, instant yeast, first amount of sugar, salt and softened butter in mixer bowl.
• Add warm water (120-130°).  Beat with paddle attachment for 2 minutes at medium speed.  Add eggs and 1 cup more flour.  Beat at high speed for 1 minute.  Add the remaining flour until dough leaves the sides of the bowl.  Change to dough hook, and knead 6 minutes or knead 5-10 minutes by hand.
• Cover and let rest 20 minutes.
• Filling:  Finely chop and drain cherries well.  Combine all fill ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.
• Punch down dough.  Divide in half if making 2.  Roll each half into a 14 x 8" rectangle.  Spread with half of the coconut cherry mixture.  Roll up tightly beginning with the 14" side.  Seal the lengthwise edge.
• Place the ring, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet.  Seal ends together firmly.  Snip dough into fourteen 1" sections, cutting from edges of circle to within 1" of center.
• Turn two cut sections on their opposite sides in opposite directions to form a heart.  Repeat to make seven hearts.
• Cover pans and let rise 20-25 minutes while preheating oven to 375°.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until done and brown, on lower rack for best results.
• Remove from baking sheet immediately. (I let mine sit 10 minutes first – much easier). Cool on rack.  Outline hearts with icing made from 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp. cherry juice.

2012 Cost:  $ 3.68 for 2 rings or $ 1.84 each

Lemon Nut Twists

I confess I used this recipe from "Fleishmann's Yeast Best Ever Breads", with my own favorite sweet roll dough but used their idea for shaping and filling the sweet rolls, because they used half a recipe of refrigerator dough and I wanted mine right away and didn’t want leftover dough. 

My husband raved about these! 

                             Lemon Nut Twists

                        Dough

     1/2    cup  Milk -- Combine with water and heat to 120° to 130°

     2        tablespoons Water

  2 1/4    cups  Flour, All-purpose -- (10 1/8 ounces)

     2       tablespoons  Sugar

     1/2    teaspoon  Salt

  1           teaspoon  Instant Yeast

     2        tablespoons Butter

     1/2    large  Egg or 1 egg yolk

                        Filling

  2         Tablespoons  Butter

     1/3  Cup  Brown Sugar

  1         Tablespoon  Lemon Peel -- grated

     1/2  Cup  Slivered Almonds -- toasted, chopped coarsely

                        Frosting

  4         Teaspoons  Fresh Lemon Juice

  1         Cup  Powdered Sugar

Dough:  In large mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast, softened butter and egg .  Add milk and water mixture; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth - 1-2 minutes.  Add remaining flour until dough leaves sides of bowl.

Change to dough hook and knead on setting 2 for5- 6 minutes.  Let rise in bowl, in warm place, covered, 20 minutes.  Punch down dough. Prepare filling while dough is rising.

Filling:  Combine ingredients and reserve.  (Toast nuts on a shallow pan in a 350° oven 3-5 minutes; watch carefully so they don’t burn).  I chopped mine a little with a sharp knife.

Shaping:  Roll the dough to 21 x 8" rectangle.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter.  Brush middle third of dough (a 7 x 8" portion) with half of butter, sprinkle with half of filling.  Fold one of the remaining dough thirds over filling.  Brush folded dough with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining filling.  Fold remaining dough third over filling; pinch edges to seal.  Cut into eight 1" wide strips.  Twist each strip 2 or 3 times.  Place on greased baking sheet, cover; let rise about 20 minutes.  Bake at 375° for 15-20  minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on rack.  Drizzle with icing.

Icing:  Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice, stir until smooth.

Eight servings

$2012 Cost:  $ 3.03 or 38¢ each.