Receta Cherry-Almond Twist
Wonderful and Sweet~ Perfect for a Weekend Morning:)
I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens "Hometown Cooking" Magazine, from August 2001. Yes, I have magazines from 2001, in fact I have magazines and recipe booklets, (you know the kind, the kind of recipe booklets you look at while standing in line at the grocery store:) dated as far back as 1982! I just can't seem to throw them away! On a rainy or snowy day, I love to sit and page through them. I write down all the recipes I want to try in the future. Some recipes I try and some I don't. This is one of the recipes I wanted to try. This recipe is wonderful~ I did make a slight change. The original recipe calls for cherry preserves, that you brush on the warm loaves and then sprinkle with silvered almonds. Instead I made a Creme de Almond Icing. Wonderful!
- Cherry Almond Twist
- 1 cup dried tart cherries
- Boiling water
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
- 2 pkg. active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 t salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 t almond extract
- Creme de Almond Icing:
- 1-3 oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1 T butter, softened
- 1/4 t almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1-2 T Creme de Almond or milk
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and almond extract with electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Stir in 1 T creme de almond or milk. Stir in additional creme de almond or milk, 1 t. at a time to make icing of spreading consistency.
To make twists:
Place cherries in a small bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes; drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a small saucepan, combine milk, sugar, butter and salt. Heat and stir over medium heat just until warm (120º F to 130º F) and butter almost melts.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture along with egg and almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in cherries and as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total) Shape dough into ball. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in size. (About 1 hour)
Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough into four portions. Cover; let rise for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease two cookie sheets; set aside.
Shape each dough portion into a 20 inch long rope. Twist two of the ropes together. Bring ends together; seal to form a ring. Place on one prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (If desired, place a greased 6-ounce custard cup or removable center of a tube pan inside the ring to keep the center of the bread perfectly round.
Cover dough; let rise in warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes)
Bake in a 350 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until brown (if necessary to prevent over browning, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.) Remove bread from cookie sheets to wire racks. Brush warm loaves with icing.
Makes 2 loaves.
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