Family Favorites...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, and here it is just in time for Valentines day.                  

                       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.