Almond-Cranberry Twist
Source: www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/almond-cranberry-twist/
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 18 tsp. salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 13 cup dried sweetened cranberries or cherries
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp. quick-acting yeast (from 1 1/2 0.25-oz. pkg.)
- 13 cup melted unsalted butter or 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 13 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 large egg
Directions
- To make Filling: Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grind half of almonds in rotary grinder or mini food processor.
- Coarsely chop remaining almonds, and set aside.
- Beat butter, sugar, and salt with electric mixer until smooth.
- Beat in egg yolk, flour, ground almonds, and almond extract.
- Stir in chopped almonds.
- To make Dough: Stir together all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups warm (115F) water, and yeast in large bowl.
- Cover, and let sit in warm place 30 minutes.
- Stir melted butter, sugar, and salt into flour-yeast mixture until blended.
- Stir in white whole-wheat flour until Dough comes together.
- Turn Dough out onto lightly floured work surface, and knead 4 to 5 minutes, or until smooth.
- Cover Dough, and let rise in warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Roll Dough into 11- x 17-inch rectangle on floured work surface.
- Transfer Dough rectangle to piece of parchment paper cut to fit large baking sheet.
- Set Dough rectangle so short side faces you.
- Spread Filling in center third of Dough, leaving 1-inch border at top and bottom.
- Sprinkle dried cranberries over Filling.
- Make downward-angled cuts in Dough on both sides of Filling to create 1-inch-wide diagonal strips.
- (If cuts met in center, they would form inverted Vs.)
- Remove and discard 4 triangular pieces of Dough remaining at top and bottom of rectangle.
- Fold top and bottom ends of Dough over Filling.
- Fold diagonal Dough strips over Filling, alternating sides and crossing one strip over another to form braid-like pattern.
- (See photo, below.)
- Slide parchment paper with braided Dough onto baking sheet.
- Cover with oiled plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove twist from fridge, and let Dough rise in warm place 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Whisk egg with 2 Tbs.
- water until well blended.
- Brush egg wash over braid.
- Bake in upper third of oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden.
- Cool on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.