Angel's Braid

Lightly sweet and absolutely scrumptious, this wonderful yeast bread is perfect for Christmas brunch or a holiday breakfast.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for 1 braid (about 20 slices):

1.8 oz. (50 g) golden raisins
4 tablespoons Kirschwasser
(distilled German cherry brandy)
5 1/3 cups (600 g) flour
1 cube (42 g) fresh yeast or 1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup (80 g) brown sugar (or turbinado)
4.5 oz. (125 g) each of sour cream and heavy cream
7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter
2 eggs
1.8 oz.(50 g) chopped almonds
1.8 oz. (50 g) diced candied orange peel
3 tablespoons unsweetened grated coconut
Flour for the work surface
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
3 tablespoons almond slivers

Preparation:

Soak the raisins in Kirschwasser.

Sift the flour into a bowl and make an indentation in the middle. Add the yeast (crumble the fresh yeast) and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Combine the sour cream and heavy cream, warm up about 1/4 of the mixture, combine it with the yeast and sprinkle with a bit of flour. Let everything rest at a warm spot for about 30 minutes. Then add the remaining sugar, soft butter and eggs, and knead everything into a dough. Then add the soaked raisins, almonds, candied orange peel and grated coconut, and let everything rest for another 30-60 minutes.

Dust the work surface lightly with flour and knead the dough, divide it into three parts, forms three logs and braid them together. Cover the braid and let it rest for another 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) Mix the egg yolks and milk, spread over the mixture over the braid and sprinkle with the almond slivers. Bake in the hot oven until golden for 30-40 minutes.