Time: 4-1/2 hours
Makes: 1 wreath
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 packages active dry yeast
about 7 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter or margarine
milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
about 1 yard decorative ribbon
Instructions
1. In large bowl, combine sugar, salt, cardamom, yeast and 2 cups flour. In 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat butter or margarine and 1-1/2 cups milk until very warm(120 degrees to 130 degrees F.) (Butter does not need to melt completely.)
2. With mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients until just blended. At medium speed, beat 2 minutes. Reserve 1 egg white. Beat in remaining eggs, lemon peel, almond, extract and 2 cups flour; beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in about 2-1/2 cups flour to make a soft dough.
3. On Floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour while kneading, if needed. Shape dough into ball; place in greased large bowl, turning to grease top. Cover dough with towel; let rise in warm place(80 degrees to 85 degrees f.), until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface; cover with towel and let rest for 15 minutes for easier shaping.
5. Grease large cookie sheet and outside of 2-quart, straight-sided, ovensafe bowl. Invert bowl; place in center of sheet. In small bowl, combine reserved egg white and 1 tablespoon milk; set aside. Cut off about 1/2 cup of dough; set aside.
6. With rolling pin, roll dough into 30" by 10" rectangles. From 30-inch side, with hands, roll jelly-roll fashion into rope; twist slightly. Wrap rope around bowl on sheet; press ends of rope together to seal and tuck them under.
7. Roll reserve dough 1/8 inch thick. Decorate loaf.
Cutting decorations:
With floured 2-1/2 inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter, cut about 15 leaves. Shape scraps into about 1/4-inch balls.
Applying decorations:
Brush some egg-white mixture on back of leaves and balls. Place 3 leaves together and top with three balls holly shaped. Place decorations around wreath.
8. Cover wreath, let rise in warm place, away from draft, until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush wreath with remaining egg-white mixture. Bake 1 hour or until golden. Remove bowl; cool wreath on wire rack. Tie ribbon around it.
|
