Recipe: Prune Ring (Fleishmann's Yeast recipe, with photo, 1970's)

Hi Joe, This isn't the exact recipe you requested, but it's the closest I've found so far. We'll keep looking! - Betsy

PRUNE RING



FOR THE YEAST DOUGH:
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 to 5 cups unsifted flour, divided use
FOR THE PRUNE FILLING:
2 cups chopped pitted dried prunes
1 (1 pound) jar applesauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup boiling water
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Scald 1/2 cup milk; stir in the 1/3 cup sugar, salt and margarine; cool to lukewarm.

Measure warm water into large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture, beaten eggs, almond extract, and half the flour; beat until smooth.

Stir in enough additional flour to make a slightly stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Add prunes, applesauce, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon peel to boiling water. Cook over low heat until prunes are softened and mixture is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and cool.

TO SHAPE AND FILL THE LOAVES:
Punch dough down; divide in half. On lightly floured board, roll one half into a 10x16-inch rectangle. Spread with half the prune mixture. Roll up from long side as for jelly roll to form 16-inch roll. Pinch seam to seal. On greased baking sheet form into ring. Using scissors, make cuts from top surface about 2/3 of the way through at 1-inch intervals. Turn one piece to center, next to outside of ring. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Blend egg and 1 tablespoon milk; brush over rings.

Bake at 350 degrees F. about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

VARIATION - ALTERNATE SHAPE:
Place 16-inch roll on greased baking sheet. Cut from top surface about 2/3 of the way through at 1-inch intervals. Pull each piece to alternate sides. Do not brush with egg before baking. When cool, frost with almond flavored confectioners' sugar frosting.

Makes 2 cakes
Source: Vintage recipe booklet: Fleishmann's Bake-It-Easy Yeast Book, 1970's