CHRISTMAS TREE COFFEE CAKES

FOR THE DOUGH:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided use
2 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 pkg active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
4 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour, divided use (more or less, as needed)
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup (or more) butter, softened
4 tsp ground cinnamon

TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
Scald milk; add 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and lemon rind; cool.

Soften active dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.

Stir 2 cups flour into the cooled milk mixture. Add eggs and yeast mixture; beat well. Add additional flour to make a stiff dough. Knead on floured surface. Place in greased bowl; cover let rise until doubled. Divide into four equal pieces.

FOR ONE TREE:
Roll one piece of the dough into a 5x13 inch rectangle; brush with one fourth of the softened butter.

Mix the cinnamon and remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar together. Sprinkle the dough with 1/3 of the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Start at wide edge; roll as for jelly roll; pinch edge to seal. Cut into 17 slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, lengthwise on greased cookie sheet to form a tree: Start with one slice at the top; just below this, place two slices overlapping slightly; then a row of three slices; four slices and finally five slices, use the two end slices for the trunk. Cover; let rise until doubled.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven about 20 minutes. Cool, frost and decorate as desired.

Repeat for making the other three trees.

Makes 4 Trees
Source: Wisconsin Electric Co., 1950