Caramel Braid Sweet Bread Food

SWEET BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• Put butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat until you first see bubbles, stirring occasionally to keep milk from burning. Then remove from heat and add the cold water. [We're scalding the milk and then cooling it back down to not kill the yeast].
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast and warm water, then let sit for about 10 minutes.
• Once the yeast is activated and the milk mixture is under 130 degrees F, add the milk mixture to the yeast and also the sugar, egg, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until moistened and then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Then switch to a mixing spoon and add another 2 cups of flour. Finally, turn dough out on floured board and knead in additional flour to make a moderately stiff, soft dough. If you have a stand mixer, do all this mixing the easy way and use your dough hook.
• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn once to grease surface, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size--about one hour.
• The next step is to shape according to your desired final product, then cover and let rise again for about 45 minutes, then bake.
• For basic dinner rolls, divide dough into 16 pieces, roll each between your hands to make a ball. These will need to bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-18 minutes. For the more sugary products, use your favorite methods and fillings and increase your baking time as needed, temperature should be fine for most.

BRAIDED SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• Mix together water, warm milk, and yeast.
• Add melted margarine, sugar, salt and flour.
• Knead dough, place in bowl, cover and let rise in warm place 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 6 parts.
• Shape dough into 6 long pieces (length of baking sheet).
• On baking sheet, braid 3 of the pieces together like you would hair, then braid remaining 3 pieces together.
• Cover and let raise 1 more hour.
• Brush beaten egg on top and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

CARAMEL BRAID (SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sprinkle in sugar and stir. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Milk mixture should be luke warm, not hot. Let it cool down if its too hot.
• Pour 1 C of the flour into a mixing bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and stir.
• Add another cup of flour and stir. Add eggs and stir, then yeast and stir.
• Gradually add the rest of the flour, kneading the dough inside the bowl. Add more flour depending on the consistency, so its not sticky and dough pulls away from the bowl.
• Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for a half hour.
• While its rising mix all the ingredients for the filling, adding the butter last.
• After the dough has risen, beat it down. Knead for a few minutes on a floured surface.
• Roll it out into a 12 x 18 rectangle.
• Cut into 3 vertical strips, 4 inches wide each. You want long strips.
• Spread filling evenly over dough with the back of a spoon. Roll each strip into a roll, overlapping the edges and pinching them shut.
• Place on a greased jelly roll pan. Gently braid, tucking the ends underneath. Try to braid quickly so the dough doesn't stretch.
• Cover with a towel and let rise for a half hour in a warm palce.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minute Bread should be browned and sound hollow when patted. Let cool on a rack. Take it off the pan with a spatula on each side so it doesn't fall apart.
• While the bread is cooling, make the glaze. Heat butter over medium heat until lightly brown, remove from heat.
• Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Stir in milk, one tsp at a time.
• Place bread on foil or board when cool. Drizzle bread with warm glaze. Let glaze harden before wrapping foil around bread if giving as a gift.

NO BAKE MACAROONS

Steps:

• Bring the milk, sugar and butter to the point of boiling in a large sauce pan.
• Stir and let boil for two minutes.
• Remove from heat and add all the other ingredients. Stir them in until the batter is completely blended.
• Drop rounded tablespoons full of batter onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
• Let them solidify at room temperature (about 30 minutes) and then transfer cookies to a plate or container and keep refrigerated.