Freezer Braided Nut Roll Coffee Cake Recipes

FREEZER BRAIDED NUT ROLL (COFFEE CAKE)

Steps:

• GETTING READY:.
• Put out the eggs and margarine a few hours ahead to make sure they are "room temperature" before you begin. (TIP: margarine MUST be room temperature, but eggs may be warmed by cracking into a bowl and setting bowl into another bowl of hot water and stirring until the chill is removed)
• Measure 6 1/2 c flour into large bowl and then separate out 1 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup from the bowl for separate additions. You may not end up using all 6 1/2 cups in the recipe. I try not to use all the flour as too much flour makes the bread dry and not as "yeasty".
• FILLING.
• Mix together the filling ingredients, divide into 3 equal amounts and refrigerate while making dough.
• MAKING DOUGH:.
• Mix together 1 1/4 c flour, sugar, salt & yeast.
• Add margarine.
• Gradually add tap water & beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
• Add eggs and 1/4 cup flour.
• Beat on high for 2 minutes.
• Stir in enough flour to make soft dough (it will be soft and pliable and you can handle it without it sticking to your hands).
• Turn out on LIGHTLY floured board and knead for 8-10 minutes (today I use my Kitchenaid with a dough hook for 3-4 minutes).
• Divide dough into 3 equal pieces.
• Roll one piece into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
• Cut into 3 length-wise strips (3 x 15 each).
• Spread center of each strip with filling.
• Seal each one to make 3 ropes.
• Braid the 3 ropes, tucking ends under.
• Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and freeze.
• Repeat the process (steps 14-19) by rolling out, cutting, filling and braiding the remaining two piecies of dough.
• When frozen, wrap each of the braided nut rolls tightly in plastic wrap and hold in freezer up to 6 weeks).
• TO THAW and RAISE:.
• Place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Let stand covered loosely with plastic wrap at room temperature 8-12 hours (overnight)until raised. Draft-free is better so I put mine in a unheated oven overnight for this step.
• TO BAKE:.
• Remove plastic wrap.
• Put bread in oven, set timer for 12-15 minutes and start oven at 375. (Bread will raise a little more during pre-heating, OR preheat oven at 375 and bake for 10-13 minutes. I've done it both ways).
• Top should be slightly golden - don't let bottom get too brown.
• Remove from oven and drizzle with glaze.
• Serve while warm.
• Enjoy!

HOLIDAY NUT ROLL (AMERICANIZED CROATIAN NUT ROLL)

Steps:

• Scald milk in small pan, set off burner and cool to warm. In large mixing bowl combine warm milk and yeast with wire whisk. Beat eggs in separate bowl, then add to milk. Beat milk-egg mixture by hand for 2 minutes. Mix in sugar and margarine. Add flour slowly, mixing as you go (my grandmother insists this should be done with a wood spoon). Do not rise, do not chill. Set aside.
• Chop walnuts (food processor or very finely by hand). In large mixing bowl, combine walnuts, white sugar, and milk. Mix thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients (butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, whiskey), mixing thoroughly. Filling should be thick and moist, but not stiff.
• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Separate large dough ball completely into 10-12 equal balls (simple method is to cut dough to equal portions on a cutting board with a lightly floured butcher knife then reform portions to balls).
• On a rolling board or clean counter, roll each dough ball to about 1/4 inch thickness in an oblong-oval shape. Spread nut mixture over rolled dough, covering the entirety with a thin layer, and keeping the mixture about 1/2 inch to 1 inch away from the edges of the dough.
• Form the roll first by folding the horizontal edges of the dough inwards on both the left and right sides. Then fold up the bottom of the dough about 1 1/2 inches. Each side and the bottom of the dough should now be folded in towards the middle of the rolled dough so that the nut covering is enclosed by the folded sides. Begin rolling from the bottom of the dough (where you just made the fold) towards the top. When you reach the top, fold the edges into a wide triangular flap (so that the roll will end with an overlapping wide "V"). Place the roll "V" down on a greased cookie sheet. This sounds complicated, but the basic idea is simply to close off the edges to prevent leaking--if you simply roll it like a jelly roll, the filling would ooze out and burn on the pan.
• Brush top with beaten egg (makes the roll pale gold-brown when baked).
• Repeat process to form other rolls. If nut mixture becomes thick and difficult to spread add more evaporated milk.
• Keep rolls at least 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and bake each for 20-25 minutes or until tops appear golden-brown. Cool at least 20 minutes before moving.

POPPY SEED OR NUT ROLL

Steps:

• Combine all filling ingredients (except raisins) and beat well.
• Set aside.
• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk.
• Combine the flour, sugar, salt and eggs.
• Add remainder of the milk, butter and yeast mixture.
• Beat until elastic.
• Sprinkle top with a little flour and cover with a cloth.
• Let stand in a warm place until double in size.
• Punch down.
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces.
• Put on floured board and roll out into a rectangle.
• Spread with cooled filling and sprinkle with raisins.
• Roll like a jelly roll.
• Place in greased pan and let stand to rise again.
• Brush top with margarine or butter bake for 45-60 minutes in 350 degree oven.

CABINKAT'S SWEET KOLACHé NUT ROLL

Steps:

• In very large bowl, dissolve yeast in water and let set until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add melted butter, salt, egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix well.
• Add flour to mix slowly until it forms nice dough. Should not be tacky. Add a bit more flour if needed.
• Cover bowl and let raise in warm place 1 hour.
• In mean time, beat egg whites with mixer until frothy or foamy. Add 1 cup sugar, slowly until stiff peak forms. Fold in vanilla, cinnamon, and walnuts. You can use Black walnuts if preferred.
• When dough has risen, cut into 2 equal parts. Roll out on floured surface until you get a 12 X 18 (give or take) sheet. Spread nut mixture onto surface and leave 1 inch space all around. Roll like you would a jellyroll or pinwheel. Use water at last open area to seal, fold or tuck under slightly left to right sides. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet length-wise and repeat with second one.
• Preheat oven 375º degrees.
• Once both are placed on cookie sheet, poke with fork in about 5 areas on each to let dough breath. Cover with light towel and let rise about 15-20 minutes.
• Remove towel, place in center rack in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Should be golden brown.
• Brush with melted butter if preferred.
• When completely cooled, cut into 1" slices and pat with butter, serve with coffee (if preferred).

AUSTRIAN GUGELHUPF (YEAST-RISEN COFFEE CAKE)

Steps:

• Thickly butter a 6-8 cup gugelhupf pan (or other decorative tube pan).
• Make the sponge: warm the milk over low heat in a small saucepan until it is just lukewarm, about 100°.
• Transfer milk to a small bowl; whisk in yeast.
• Stir in the flour and cover the bowl with plastic wrap; let the sponge rise until very puffy, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the raisins and rum; let raisins soak in rum while you prepare the dough.
• Make the dough: use an electric stand mixer with paddle attachment-beat the butter with the sugar and salt on medium speed until soft and light, about 2-3 minutes.
• Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla.
• Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating smooth after each addition.
• Stop mixer and scrape the sponge into the bowl; beat on lowest speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
• Drain raisins well, reserving the rum; beat the rum into the dough, then beat in the flour.
• Beat the dough for 2 minutes on lowest speed, then stop the mixer and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Beat the dough on medium speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 2 additional minutes.
• Decrease speed to lowest and beat in the raisins and the chopped almonds.
• Scrape the dough into a buttered bowl and turn it over so that the top is buttered.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise until it just begins to puff, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare mold: scatter the sliced almonds all over the buttered inside of the mold, rotating the mold to cover the buttered surface evenly with almonds.
• Invert to mold to remove any of the almonds that have not stuck to the butter.
• Using a large rubber spatula , carefully scrape the dough into prepared mold-try to avoid disturbing the sliced almonds.
• Cover the mold with a towel or piece of buttered plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it is doubled (if using a 6-cup mold, the risen dough should reach the top of the mold; if you are using an 8-cup mold, the risen dough should reach about ½ inch short of the top).
• About 15 minutes before the gugelhupf is risen, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°.
• Bake the gugelhupf until it is well risen and deep golden, about 40-45 minutes; pick should come out clean.
• Cool gugelhupf in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto the rack, remove the mold and cool completely.
• Serve: use a sharp serrated knife to cut into slices; storage: keep wrapped in plastic.

BRAIDED COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Stir in egg. In a small saucepan, heat and stir the 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar and salt until mixture is lukewarm and butter is almost melted. Stir butter mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in flour.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 4 to 6 strokes or until ingredients are combined. Transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap; chill if you like for 8-24 hours.
• Let dough stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly grease baking sheet. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough into a 14X9 inch rectangle. Spread the melted butter over dough rectangles. In a small bowl, mix nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut each rectangle into 3 14X3 inch strips. Sprinkle the mixture in the center of each strip. Using your fingers pinch dough to seal.
• To shape a loaf, place 3 filled ropes, seam side down, 1 inch apart. Starting at the middle, loosely braid by bringing the left rope over the center rope. Next bring the right rope over new center rope. Repeat to end. Press ends together to seal; tuck under. Repeat to make a second loaf. Carefully transfer braids to cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Bake for 20-25 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove loaves from baking sheet. Cool on wire racks. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 11/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 tbsp milk, and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoons at a time, until icing is easy to drizzle. Drizzle icing on loaves.