Sweet

While researching some fun Christmas recipes, I stumbled on this goldmine of a recipe site - mindspring.com.I did find something rather delicious, which I am very eager to try out on my hubby. I'll let you know how it goes - this looked a little more complicated than the twisted bread recipe I mentioned (which is (as I remember it) basically bread dough twisted together and glazed in a butter/sugar mixture and baked till golden) but sounds even more delicious.

Almond Pastry Ring - Mandelkrans

Makes 1 large or 2 small

• 4 cups flour
• 2 eggs -- beaten
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 package dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 cups butter

• 1 cup raisins -- coarsely ground (hmm . . . not a big raisin fan - maybe I'll try craisins :)
  
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons almonds -- finely chopped
• 1 lemon rind -- grated
• 6 eggs -- beaten
• 2 egg yolk -- optional
• 2 tablespoons almonds -- ground

• 8 egg whites -- beaten stiff
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup almonds -- ground

PASTRY RING

Mix flour, eggs, sour cream, wine and salt, blending well.

Soften the yeast in the water. Add to above mixture and blend well.

Knead until bubbles appear on the dough.

Roll out to ¼-inch thickness. Place the butter on the dough, fold over completely, sprinkle with flour, roll and beat gently with the hands until very flat.

Fold the 4 corners envelope style to the center of the dough and roll very thin. Repeat this procedure 4 times. The dough will be very flaky and rich. To make the ring for which the Danes are famous, fill as follows:

FILLING

Blend first five ingredients together well. Line a baking ring pan with half of the pastry dough. Place filling over this evenly. Cover with rest of pastry dough.

Brush with the beaten egg yolks and ground almonds to make the ring more decorative if you wish.

Let rise until doubled in bulk in a warm place.

Bake 40 minutes in a preheated 325º oven.