Braided Fruit Wreath
Serves: 6
Marley Adams
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
56
Spice
54
Sweetness
56
Sourness
45
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 cup
Soft Butter1 cup
Granulated Sugar2 tbsps
Lemon (grated rind)2 large
Egg (beaten)2 tsps
Salt1 tsp
Mace5.5 cups
Unbleached Flour2 cups
Fruit (diced mixed candied)2 cups
Powdered Sugar9 tbsps
Heavy CreamDirections:
1
Turn the baking sheet so the strands are facing lengthwise away from you
2
In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften
3
Add milk, butter, sugar, lemon rind, eggs, salt, mace, and 2 cups flour
4
Beat vigorously for 2 minutes
5
Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl
6
Turn dough out onto a floured work surface
7
Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough
8
Put dough into an oiled bowl
9
Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil
10
Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour
11
Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half
12
Using a rolling pin, roll half of the dough into a 22 by 9-inch rectangle
13
Cover and let rest 5 minutes on the work surface
14
Cut the dough into three 22-inch long strips
15
Mix the nuts and candied fruit
16
Fill the center of each strip with 1/2 cup of the nut and fruit mixture
17
Bring edges together and pinch to seal forming three 22-inch-long strands
18
Lay the strands side-by-side on a parchment-lined baking sheet
19
Starting in the center of the strands, place the right strand over the middle strand (the right strand has now become the middle strand), then the left strand over the middle, the right over the middle, left over the middle, etc
20
Continue this process until the strands are too short to braid
21
Do not pinch the end together
22
To braid the other end of the loaf, turn the baking sheet around so that the unbraided portion is facing you
23
Place the middle strand over the right strand, then middle strand over the left, middle over the right, middle over the left, etc
24
, until the ends are too short to braid
25
Join the ends of the braid to form a wreath, and pinch to seal
26
Repeat with the other half of the dough
27
Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes
28
About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees
29
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 190 degrees
30
Immediately remove bread from baking sheet and cool on a rack for 20 minutes
31
Combine powdered sugar and cream
32
Mixture should be the consistency of honey (if it isn't, adjust by adding more cream to thin it or powdered sugar to thicken it)
33
Drizzle over the top of each wreath