Bread Baking Buddies Yule Wreath (italiano a seguire)

This month the Babe in charge is Lynn of Cookie Baker Lynn and she chose the perfect recipe; perfect because it is very festive and also because it is easy and very good in every form !
Please take some time to check all the works of art of all the other Babes !!



The first "form" I chose was with a savoury filling simply made with diced pumpkin sauteed with onions mashed and combined with fresh sausage (lightly cooked).
But I had read of Lien wreath's made with mincemeat and having some left from the past Sweet and Simple Bakes I made a sweet one too !



Yule Wreath
- adapted from Betty Crocker's International Cookbook

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 deg. F)
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Almond Filling (below)*
Glaze (also below)

1-Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in milk, sugar, margarine, egg, cardamom, salt and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

2-Turn dough onto lightly floured surface: knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; trun greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until double, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

3-Prepare Almond Filling-

Mix together until smooth:
1/2 cup almond paste
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup softened butter

4- Punch down the dough. Roll into rectangle, 15 x 9-inches, on a lightly floured surface. Spread with the filling to within 1/4-inch of the edges. (I don't think my butter was soft enough as my filling didn't spread. I took bits of it, flattened it between my fingers and pressed that onto the dough.) Roll up tightly, beginning at the wide side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal well. Stretch roll to make even. With sealed edge down, shape into ring on lightly greased cookie sheet. Pinch ends together.

5- With scissors or kitchen shears, make cuts 2/3 of the way through the ring at 1-inch intervals. Turn each section on it's side (90 degree turn), to show off the pretty swirled filling. Cover loosely with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until double, about 40 to 50 minutes.

6- Heat oven to 350 deg. F. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. (If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.)

7 - Make Glaze-
Mix until smooth:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
(add additional water 1/2 tsp at a time, if necessary)

8- Spread Glaze over the wreath. You can decorate your wreath with nuts, dried fruit, marzipan fruit, or whatever strikes your fancy.

* If almond paste is not available, or if you fall down in the aisle at the grocery store when you see the price, you can make your own. In a food processor finely grind 8 oz blanched almonds. Process in 8 oz powdered sugar. Then knead in 1 egg white. Store in the refrigerator.


Ed ecco l'italiano... questo mese le Bread Baking Babes capitanate da Lynn hanno preparato queata bellissima corona (guardate le loro che sono bellissime !) che poteva essere farcita a piacere io ne ho fatta una salata con zucca saltata con cipolla e frullata e salsicce (leggera!) e una con il mincemeat che mi era avanzato dalla torta al cioccolato di poco fa. Ora il problema è tradurre la ricetta ... ci provo !

Pasta per la versione dolce:

2 ctè lievito di birra secco
45 ml acqua tiepida
175 ml latte tiepido
50 g zucchero
55 g burro
1 uovo grande
1/2 ctè cardamomo
1/2 ctè sale
± 475 g farina 00

Sciogliere lievito e acqua tiepida. Aggiungere gli altri ingredienti e metà della farina poi aggiungerla piano piano lavorare un po' l'impasto e metterlo a riposare fino al raddoppio. Stendere la pasta in un rettangolo coprirla con il ripieno arrotolarla partendo da un lato lungo chiuderla in un cerchio tagliare con le forbici ogni 3 cm fino a due terzi e sdraiare ogni fetta sulla precedente lasciar livitare 40/50 minuti e infornare a 180° per 25/ 30 minuti.
La versione salata è simile senza cardamomo e zucchero.
Spero che sia abbastanza chiaro...io sono quì se serve !! Baci