Recipe Baking: CHRISTMAS BRAID

  5 to 6 c. flour
1 pkg. dry yeast (active)
2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
6 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. raisins
1 c. chopped, mixed green and red
cherries and citron
1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecan, walnut or
Brazil)

--For brushing on braids:--

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. water

--For decoration:--

Slivered almonds
Red cherries
Green cherries

--For glaze:--

1 c. confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix with enough milk until desired consistency. In large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of flour and the yeast. In saucepan, heat together milk, sugar, butter and salt just until warm, stirring constantly until butter almost melts. Cool until warm to touch. Add this to dry mixture in bowl; add egg. Mix, scraping sides of bowl. Stir in raisins, candied fruits and nuts and enough of the remaining flour as you can mix in using a spoon. Turn onto floured surface and knead in remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough, kneading about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in warm place until double (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours). Divide dough into thirds. Then divide each third into three portions. Roll each portion into a 15 inch rope. Place 3 ropes on greased baking sheet and braid. Repeat with remaining ropes; making 3 braided loaves. Cover and let rise until double (30 to 40 minutes). Combine egg yolk and water and brush over the braids. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Brush with more egg yolk mixture. Bake 10 minutes more then cover with foil; continue baking 5 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack to cool. After completely cool, drizzle glaze over braids and decorate with slivered almonds, red cherries halved with strips of green cherrries as leaves. Makes 3 breads.

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