Yeast Coffee Ring

This was a Fargo favorite - Aunt Ruth made it, using Dorothy Goodman and Jay Siegel's recipe. This recipe is a very flexible dough which can be shaped and rolled out, twisted, braided + more, and does not require kneading. Note it is made a day ahead and refrigerated. I have rewritten the recipe in a more step-by-step format with ALL the ingredients at the beginning. For the filling, you can be creative - softened cream cheese, jams, poppy seed or almond filling, chocolate chips-- most anything works fine.



2 c. luke warm milk (not boiled)

1 fresh cake yeast (= 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast)

1 T. sugar (for yeast mixture)
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6 c. flour

1 t. salt

3 T. sugar

½ lb. butter

4 beaten eggs

1 t. vanilla
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butter (for spreading on rolled out dough, next day)

brown sugar

cinnamon

raisins

(nuts, mini-chocolate chips, jam - anything else! - optional)

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Confectioners sugar

lemon or amond extract

milk

1. In a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, 1 fresh yeast cake ans 1 T sugar until dissolved. Set aside for 10 minutes to proof.
2. While waiting, sift into large mixing bowl (or mix-master) the 6 cups of flour, 1 t. salt, and 3 T. sugar.
3. Cut in the two sticks of butter. Beat until incorporated.
4. Back to the yeast mixture: Add 4 beaten eggs and 1 t. vanilla
5. Mix into the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
6. Cover (with a shower cap!) and refrigerate OVERNIGHT.

Good morning. The dough will be a little soft. Add flour to the board (or counter) and knead the dough, adding flour as needed, until it is not too sticky to work with.

1. Divide into 4 equal portions.
2. Roll thin into a rectangle (approx 9 x 18) which will become a jellyroll.
3. Shmear with all the filling. You can either cover the whole surface or just one end, running the long way.
4. Roll tight.
5. On a greased tin, make it into a crescent or circle. Lots of fancy things you can do w cuts and twists. This version is cut and twisted, alternating in and out.

6. Cover with a towel or plastic and let it rise for 3 hours! Another version is to heat the oven to just 100 or so, turn it off, and put the cakes in. Not sure they really need covering.
7. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Let cool.
8. Mix the confectioners sugar, milk (tiny amount!), and extract and frost your cakes.

You could sprinkle them with slivered almonds, too, if this isn't already yummy enough.