Cocoa Pecan Ring Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, yeast, salt and baking soda. In a saucepan, heat the yogurt, milk, water and 2 tablespoons butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl coated with cooking spray; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Roll into a 14x10-in. rectangle. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Combine pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle evenly over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam., Line a baking sheet with foil; coat well with cooking spray. Place dough seam side down on prepared pan; pinch ends together to form a ring. With scissors, cut from the outside edge two-thirds of the way toward center of ring at 1-in. intervals. Separate strips slightly and twist. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Brush with egg white. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan to wire rack. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over warm ring.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water and let stand until creamy, about 15 minutes. Zest and juice the lemon; set juice aside for later use.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk, butter, salt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and 2 cups of the flour. Stir until smooth and well combined. Mix in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has come together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny; about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume; about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 12x24 inches.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar and pecans; spread this mixture evenly across the dough. Roll the dough into a long roll and press the seam closed. With the seam turned downward, seal the two ends together to make a ring. Use a little water to help you seal the ends.
• Place the ring on a lightly greased cookie pan. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make cuts every inch or so along the ring, cutting only three quarters of the way through. Twist each piece slightly so that the rolls fan out from the center of the ring. Cover the roll with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the ring from the oven, place on a rack to cool.
• Place the lemon juice in a small bowl along with the vanilla. Add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue adding powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is fairly thick but still pourable. Drizzle the lemon-sugar topping over the ring.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then use a vegetable oil spray to lightly coat a large but shallow baking sheet.
• In a bowl combine the 1/2 cup of sugar & the warm water, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Add pecans & let soak 10 minutes before draining & discarding the water.
• In a large bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup of sugar, cocoa, chili powder & cayenne pepper.
• Add pecans to this spicy cocoa mixture & toss until all the cocoa mixture coats the pecans, then spread the nuts evenly on the prepared pan.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until pecans start to glisten & appear dry, stirring several times while baking.
• Remove from the oven & let the baking sheet cool completely on a wire rack.
• Store nuts in a tightly covered container, placed in a cool, dry spot.
• Serve as a snack, with beverages, or sprinkle in salads.