Orange and Clove Holiday Bread Ring
Serves 12Prep 45m · Cook 35mBrunchHoliday
My mother baked this ring every December and hid a single whole almond inside; whoever found it chose the first song of the evening. The year I found it, I chose the song she loved and pretended it was a coincidence. She knew. Mothers always know.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
- 2 large eggs
- 8 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, for the glaze
- Candied orange peel or toasted sliced almonds, to decorate
Instructions
- Stir the yeast and a spoonful of the sugar into the warm milk and let it foam, 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt, cloves, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture and eggs and mix into a shaggy dough.
- Knead, adding the soft butter a little at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Knead in the dried fruit, if using.
- Cover and rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Divide the dough into three ropes about 24 inches long. Braid them, then join the ends to form a ring on a lined baking sheet. Cover and rise 45 minutes.
Recipe by Sofia E.