Holiday Braids Recipes

HOLIDAY BRAID

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest and cardamom. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add yeast mixture and whole egg; mix well. Stir in cherries, raisins and pecans. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (dough will not double in size)., Punch dough down; divide into four pieces. Roll three pieces into 15-in. ropes. Braid ropes; place on a greased baking sheet. Divide last portion of dough in half; roll each into a 15-in. rope. Twist ropes. Press an indentation down the center of braided loaf; place twisted dough in indentation. 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 20-25 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack. Combine sugar and milk; drizzle over loaf. Decorate with cherries if desired.

GOLDEN EGGNOG HOLIDAY BRAID RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar and yeast. Stir to dissolve yeast and let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Fit processor with steel blade. Measure flour, butter, salt and nutmeg into work bowl. Process until mixed, about 15 seconds. Add yeast mixture; process until blended, about 10 seconds.
• Turn on processor and very slowly drizzle just enough eggnog through feed tube so dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl. Process until ball turns around bowl about 25 times. Turn off processor and let dough stand 1 to 2 minutes.
• Turn on processor and gradually drizzle in enough remaining eggnog to make dough soft, smooth and satiny but not sticky. Process until dough turns around bowl about 15 times.
• Let dough stand in work bowl 10 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and shape into ball. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place (85°F) until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough. Let stand 10 minutes. Divide into 3 equal parts. Shape each part into strand 20 inches long. Braid strands together; tuck ends under and pinch to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet. Brush with oil and let stand in warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375°F Brush braid with eggnog and sprinkle with sugar or almonds. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove braid from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
• Makes 1 loaf.