Meandering down memory lane….
I used to actually bake bread with the Bread Baking Babes.
This one was mine, when I was the ‘host kitchen’ back in 2009.
I ran across it the other day when I was doing the monthly recap for the Babes. Only two of the Babes baking at that time are still part of the group. Sigh…
And then there is me.
This recipe came for an old cook book that I think was distributed in my home economics class in high school.
It’s easy to make if a bit fussy to assemble, but If I can do it anyone can.
Sorry people, but I did not google the conversions from cups to grams. I started to, then decided to let you do it your own self.
According to the book, this is made with a ‘basic sweet dough’ that can be used ‘for many wonderful breads’.
Click here to Pin Viennese Striesel
PrintViennese Striesel
This is a festive, slightly sweet bread that is wonderful for a holiday breakfast of brunch. Can easily be made a day or two ahead
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
Ingredients
- Basic Sweet Dough
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup very warm water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbs shortening, melted (I used butter)
- 2 3/4 – 3 cups flour
- 1 egg
- Striesel
- 1/4 cup seedless raisins
- 1/4 cup candied cherries, chopped
- 2 tbs candied orange peel, chopped
- 1/8 tsp mace
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tbs milk
- almonds or walnuts for sprinkling
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in warm water.
- Scald milk.
- Put milk, sugar, shortening, salt in bowl of mixer. Cool until just warm.
- Add in 1 cup of flour, mix until combined.
- Mix in dissolved yeast.
- Whisk egg and add to dough.
- Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well.
- Add fruit, mace, and mix well.
- Add remaining flour (2 3/4 cups total) and knead until smooth and satiny. I used my stand mixer and dough hook up to this point, the dough was still sticky.I added about 1/4 more flour, kneading by hand.
- Shape into a ball, place in lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 1/4 hours.
- Punch down. Divide into 9 pieces, shape each into a ball and let rest 5 minutes.
- Roll each piece into a rope about 15″ long.
- Lay 4 strands on a lightly greased baking sheet, overlapping at the center. Braid from the center toward each end.
- With the side of your hand make a trench down the center.
- Now braid 3 strands, also from the center to each end, and place in the ‘trench’.
- Twist the 2 remaining strands loosely together and place on top, bringing the ends over the end of the loaf and tucking in.
- Cover loosely and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Bake, 350F (175C) for 40 – 45 minutes.
- Remove and cool on a wire rack.
- Mix milk and sugar.
- When bread is cool, drizzle frosting over the top. Sprinkle with nuts.
Notes
You can find the conversions from volume to weights easily online if needed.
To scald milk: heat almost to boiling then allow to cool. It makes the bread lighter. Check online for more info.
Keywords: sweet bread, holiday breads, striesel
This is great for breakfast, with coffee anytime, toasted or not.
It has just enough fruit to be festive.
For those uncertain how to ‘braid 4 strands from the center’ – google it. I found a YouTube video then and I’m sure there are lots more now.
There’s a YouTube video for everything…..
I’m done with the baking posts now…..
You can find Christmas Cookies and Christmas Breads in the index. ‘Tis the season almost….
You certainly have been a baking fool! 😉
Did you do something for Thanksgiving? I’ve been so busy, I couldn’t check in. I was in the kitchen for 36 hours only to have it all gone in 20 minutes. And the carnage… *sigh* But I did a lot of food. Christmas Eve will be easy. Standing rib roast, sauteed mushrooms, salad and a dessert. Much easier than fifteen dishes full of stuff on Thanksgiving!
I used to do a standing rib roast (with Yorkshire pudding) when we lived in the US, but I can’t find the good beef or that cut here. We went to an American friend for T-Day. They rented a gite for a few months and decided to do Thanksgiving – traditional midwest dinner except it was chicken instead of turkey. No turkey here until just before Christmas.
You must have had a full house. I remember those days….
We should visit memory lane more often! So many good bakes. This was very good!
This one was good… and then there was the croc lol
Always, then there was the croc … but funny thing I really liked the crock. Maybe when I’m finally in a kitchen again I’ll try that one again … but there is a fairly long waiting list there.
That’s a bit of a worry — more than one picture of the food! What’s up?! 🙂
Just a moment of craziness…. I’ll recover 🙂
Very festive !!
Thanks – it was fun (sort of) lol
I remember seeing this as a reader and thinking that the four strands looked daunting…and turned out awesome. What you do as the BBB round-up Babe is very much appreciated.
Thanks Elle – it keeps me in the loop. As to the 4 braids – it was a bit of a challenge. It’s just not as instinctive as 3…