BUTTERY ALMOND KUCHEN

1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages active dry yeast
about 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
3/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cups butter or margarine (2 1/2 sticks)
1 egg
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 2 1/2 ounce package sliced natural almonds

About 4 1/2 hours before serving or day ahead:
In large bowl combine sugar, lemon peel, salt, yeast and 1 cup flour.

In 1 quart saucepan over low heat milk and 1/2 cup butter or margarine until very warm; 120 to 130 degrees F. Butter or margarine does not need to melt completely.

With mixer at low speed gradually beat liquid in to dry ingredients just until blended; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes; occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Gradually beat in egg and 1 cup flour to make a thick batter. Continue beating 2 minutes longer; scraping bowl often. With wooden spoon stir in 1 3/4 cups flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough on to well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes. Working in more flour while kneading about 1/4 cup. Shape dough in to a ball and place in greased medium bowl. Turning dough over so top is greased. Cover bowl with towel and let rise in warm place; 80 to 85 degrees F away from drafts until doubled; about 1 hour. Dough is doubled when two fingers pressed lightly in to dough leave a dent.

Punch down dough. Turn dough on to lightly floured surface. Cover with bowl and let rest 15 minutes for easier rolling.

With floured rolling pen roll dough in to 15 by 10 inch rectangle. Cut 1/2 cup butter or margarine in to thin slices. Starting at 1 of the 10 inch sides; place 1/2 of butter slices over two thirds of rectangle to with in 1 half inch of edges. Fold unbuttered third of dough over middle third. Fold opposite end over to make 5 by 10 inch rectangle.

Again roll dough in to 15 by 10 inch rectangle. Place remaining butter slices on dough and fold as in step 5. Wrap folded dough in plastic wrap; chill 15 minutes for easier rolling.

Meanwhile grease 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch open roasting pan. Roll folded dough in to 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 rectangle. Place in roasting pan. Cover pan with towel and let rise in warm place until doubled; about 1 hour. Dough is doubled when one finger very lightly pressed against dough leaves a dint.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In 1 quart saucepan over medium-low heat; melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter or margarine. Remove saucepan from heat; set aside.

With thumb make deep indentations in dough about 1 inch apart. With pastry brush butter or margarine over top of dough. Place brown sugar in small sieve. With spoon press sugar threw sieve over top of dough. Sprinkle dough with almonds.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.

Serve warm or cool cake completely on wire rack, then wrap cooled cake with foil and just before serving warm wrapped cake in preheated 350 degree F oven 10 to 15 minutes to heat threw.

Makes 16 servings
Source: Good Housekeeping magazine