Holiday Braid
- Preparing Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Served Person: 16
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon milk
- glaze:
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 14 oz active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup imperial sugar(r) / dixie crystals(r) granulated s
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup red and green candied cherries chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- additional candied cherries optional
- Carbohydrate 55.4230040184596 g
- Cholesterol 29.8187216103425 mg
- Fat 9.67669686341437 g
- Fiber 6.44646086056439 g
- Protein 14.2067810952572 g
- Saturated Fat 4.58128080103285 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (121g)
- Sodium 473.076638100952 mg
- Sugar 48.9765431578953 g
- Trans Fat 1.08404466936296 g
- Calories 350 calories
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, lemon peel 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.
