Laura Lee’s Christmas Wreath

Kendra Feather, owner of Fan favorites Ipanema and Garnett’s offers up her mother’s recipe for Christmas Wreath — a braided bread treat that’s perfect for Christmas morning.

December 10, 2010; 6:00 AM • by Kendra Feather

Also called “Vanocka bread”, this tasty treat is perfect for Christmas morning.

Ingredients

1/4 cup of butter or margarine
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 pkg yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg slightly beaten
4 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
2 tsp cinnamon
Dash of each nutmeg and cloves
1 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups of chopped apples (small pieces)

Directions

Heat the milk and dissolve the salt and sugar in it. Add the butter and stir until melted. Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water.

Combine the beaten egg, yeast, and milk mixtures and stir well. Break up lumps. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time, and mix well. Scrape dough from sides of bowl and transfer to clean bowl. Cover and let rise until it has doubled in size.

Turn dough out onto a board covered with the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and knead lightly, until dough loses some of its stickiness. Refrigerate dough for an hour while you make the filling.

Combine brown sugar, flour, melted butter and spices until crumbly.

Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a rectangle (9×12).

Cover the dough with 1/4 cup filling mix, 1/4 cup raisins, and 3/4 cup apples (don’t forget to chop the apples into SMALL pieces). Cover the filling down the center lengthwise in a strip.

Cut the outer thirds diagonally into 1 1/2 inch strips and lace them alternately across the filling, folding the ends inside. Cover lightly and let rise on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Spread with soft butter or margarine to keep the crust soft. This should make two loaves.

Kendra Feather is Laura Lee’s daughter. She is also the owner of Fan favorites Ipanema Cafe and Garnett’s Cafe.