Breads:

Christmas Morning Coffee Cake

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Ingredients

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 packages yeast
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces
2 eggs
2/3 cup dried cranberries - plumped by soaking in 1 cup hot orange juice, then drained well before adding to mixture
1 egg, beaten, for glaze
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
4-5 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, orange zest and salt. Heat milk, water and butter until warm (105-115 degrees). Add to dry ingredients; beat two minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat two minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make stiff batter. Gently fold in drained cranberries. Grease top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours or up to two days. Remove dough from refrigerator. Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface. Roll out to 14x7-inch rectangle. Cut into 14 one-inch strips. Twist two strips together. Form into coil and tuck ends underneath. Repeat with remaining strips to make seven coils. Place one coil in center of baking sheet. Arrange remaining coils around center coil in circle with sides lightly touching. Cover, let rise in warm, draft free place until doubled in size (about 20 to 40 minutes). Lightly beat one egg with one tablespoon of water and brush on cake. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet and cool on rack. Make orange icing by combining powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle on coffee cake.

Pamela Sage
Monmouth