Bread Flour...Seven Hearts Breakfast Ring

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 original 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

  3          cups  Flour, Bread or All-purpose (13 ½ oz)

  2          teaspoons  Instant Yeast

     1/4   cup  Sugar

     3/4   teaspoon  Salt

     1/4   cup  Butter -- softened

     3/4   cup  Water

  1          large  Eggs

                        Filling

     1/2   cup  Coconut

     3/8   cup  Maraschino Cherries

     1/8   cup  Sugar

     1/8   cup  Butter -- softened

     1/4   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 egg 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 filling  ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.

Punch down dough.  Roll into a 14 x 8" rectangle.  Spread with 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 or parchment lined 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 pan 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 1/2  cup of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp. cherry juice.