Tannenbaum Coffee Cakes
By: Adam Winer
Updated: November 22, 2010
| Coffee Cakes | |
| 5 | to 6 cups all-purpose flour |
| 1/2 | cup sugar |
| 2 | teaspoons salt |
| 2 | pkg. active dry yeast |
| 1 1/2 | cups milk |
| 1/2 | cup butter or margarine |
| 2 | eggs |
| Filling | |
| 4 | tablespoons butter or margarine, melted |
| 1 | cup sugar |
| 1/2 | cup chopped nuts |
| 1 | tablespoon cinnamon |
| Topping | |
| 1 | cup powdered sugar |
| 2 | to 3 tablespoons milk |
| Candied cherries, quartered or halved | |
In large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and yeast; blend well. In medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup butter until very warm (120 to 130°F.). Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture; blend with electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour to form a stiff dough. | |
| On floured surface, knead in remaining 1 to 1 1/2 cups flour until dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl; turn to grease all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85°F.) until light and doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. | |
| Generously grease two 15x10-inch baking pans with sides. Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll 1 half into a triangle with two 12-inch sides and a 16-inch base.* Brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. | |
| In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons melted butter and all remaining filling ingredients; mix well. Sprinkle half of filling evenly over dough. | |
| To shape tree, starting at top point of dough triangle, fold 12-inch sides to meet in center, pressing all seams to seal. Invert, seam side down, into greased pan. With scissors or sharp knife, make 10 slits about 1 inch apart along each long outside edge of tree, cutting to within 1/2 inch of center of dough. (See diagrams.) | |
| Starting at bottom of tree, twist each strip so cut side is up to show filling. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough, melted butter and filling for second tree. | |
| Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover dough; bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove coffee cakes from pans; place on wire racks. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled. | |
| In
small bowl, blend powdered sugar and enough milk for desired drizzling
consistency. Drizzle over coffee cakes. Garnish with candied cherries. Courtesy: pillsbury.com |


