Viennese Striesel
Before I get on with this post, I would like to say a special thank you to everyone for your thoughtful, kind words and support during our time of loss.
Ingredients
Basic Sweet Dough:
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup water very warm
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsps shortening , melted (I used butter)
- 2 3/4 - 3 cups flour
- 1 egg
Viennese Striesel:
- 1/4 cup raisins seedless
- 1/4 cup cherries candied , chopped
- 2 tbs orange candied peel , chopped
- 1/8 tsp mace
- 1/2 cup sugar confectioner ' s
- 1 tbsp milk
- almonds walnuts or for sprinkling
Instructions
- Basic Sweet Dough:
- Dissolve yeast in warm waterScald milk. Put milk, sugar, shortening, salt in bowl of mixer. Cool until just warm. Stir in 1 cup of flour. Mix in dissolved yeast.Whisk egg and add to dough. Add remaining flour and knead until smooth and satiny.
- Viennese Striesel:
- Add fruit and mace to basic dough before the last cup of flour. Mix in well. Add remaining flour and finish kneading until smooth.Shape into a ball, place in lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 1/4 hours.
- Punch down. Divide into 9 pieces, shape each into a ball and let rest 5 minutes.Roll each piece into a rope about 15" long.
- Lay 4 strands on a lightly greased baking sheet, overlapping at the center. Braid from the center toward each end. With the side of your hand make a trench down the center. Now braid 3 strands, also from the center to each end, and place in the 'trench'. Twist the 2 remaining strands loosely together and place on top, bringing the ends over the end of the loaf and tucking in.
- Cover loosely and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Bake, 350F (180C) for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.Mix milk and sugar. When bread is cool, drizzle frosting over the top. Sprinkle with nuts.
Notes
