Recipe: Almond Filled Coffee Ring (yeast dough, Woman's Day, 1970's)

ALMOND FILLED COFFEE RING

2 tablespoons very warm water
1 package active dry yeast (or 1 cake compressed yeast)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (about), divided use
3/4 cup butter, divided use
Almond Filling (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
Confectioners' Sugar Frosting (recipe follows)
Whole candied cherries (for decorating)

Use very warm water (105 to 115 degrees F) for dry yeast; or use lukewarm (80 to 90 degrees F) for compressed. Sprinkle or crumble yeast into water. Let stand a few minutes, then stir until dissolved.

Stir in sugar, salt, milk, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups sifted flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough flour (about 1/2 cup) to make a very stiff dough.

Turn out on well-floured board. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread 1/2 cup softened butter on upper 2/3 of dough and fold lower third over middle third. Fold top third over that. Turn and roll again to 1/4 inch thickness. Fold in thirds.

Put on cookie sheet and chill about 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling procedure 3 more times.

Divide dough in half. Roll each into a rectangle about 3 inches long; brush with remaining 1/4 cup butter, melted, and spread with Almond Filling. Sprinkle with chopped cherries. Roll up like a jelly roll; form into a ring.

With scissors, cut through ring, almost to center, in slices about 1 inch thick. Turn each slice slightly. Put each ring on a greased cookie sheet.
Let rise in warm place until light; about 25 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Cool; frost with Confectioners' Sugar Frosting and decorate with whole cherries and angelica.

ALMOND FILLING
Force 1 cup blanched almonds through fine blade of food chopper, blender or coffee grinder.
Blend in:
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Add and mix thoroughly:
1 egg, well beaten

CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR FROSTING:
Combine 1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar with about 1 teaspoon milk or light cream, or enough to make a thick pouring consistency. Stir in a few drops vanilla.

Makes: Two 9-inch coffee rings.
Recipe: Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery c.1979