Christmas Tree Surprise
List of Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package Fleischmann's. Active Dry or Rapid Rise
Yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg -- at room temperature
CHOCOLATE NUT FILLING
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped candied cherries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped dates
Confectioners' Sugar Icing (recipe
follows)
Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)
Candied cherries -- optionalRecipe
In large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and
salt. Heat milk, water and butter until hot to touch (125: to
130:F). Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at
medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl
occasionally. Add egg and 1/2 cup flour; beat at high
speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon,
stir in enough additional flour to make stiff dough. Knead on
lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5
minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top.
Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in
size, about 50 minutes.* Prepare Chocolate Nut Filling: In
small bowl, combine chocolate chips, chopped candied
cherries, chopped pecans and chopped dates. Variation:
Replace cherries in filling with additional 1/2 cup chopped
pecans. Punch dough down. Divide into 19 equal pieces.
Flatten into 4-inch circles, making edges slightly thinner
than centers. Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each
circle. Pull up edges and pinch to enclose filling. On lower
third of greased baking sheet, arrange 5 buns in a row,
seam-side down with edges touching. Build tree with
additional rows of buns - 4 buns in second row, 3 buns in
third row, 2 buns in fourth row and one for top of tree. To
make trunk: arrange 2 rows of 2 buns each at bottom of
tree. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in
size, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375: for 15 to 20 minutes
or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Frost
top with Confectioners' Sugar Icing. Drizzle with Chocolate
Glaze. Decorate with candied cherries, if desired.
____________________ To Make Confectioners' Sugar
Icing: In small bowl, combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar,
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.
Beat until smooth. ____________________ To Make
Chocolate Icing: Melt 1/2 cup (3 ounces) chocolate chips
and 2 tablespoons butter in top of double-boiler over hot
water.
|
|
member logon
