Walnut Cream Braid Recipes

Steps:

• Stir 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl to blend. Add buttermilk, 2 eggs, melted butter and orange extract and stir vigorously until well blended. Gradually stir in enough hot water to form soft, slightly sticky dough. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky, adding more flour if necessary, about 7 minutes. Knead in dried cranberries 1/3 cup at a time; then knead in walnuts. Form dough into ball.
• Oil large bowl. Add dough to bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Lightly oil heavy large baking sheet. Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; then divide 1 dough piece into 3 equal pieces and reserve. Using palms of hands, roll out each of remaining 3 large pieces on work surface to 13-inch-long ropes. Braid ropes together. Tuck ends under and pinch together. Transfer braid to prepared baking sheet. Roll out each of reserved 3 small dough pieces to 10-inch-long ropes. Braid ropes together. Tuck ends under and pinch together. Brush large braid with some of egg glaze. Place small braid atop center of large braid. Brush small braid with some of egg glaze. Let rise uncovered in warm area until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush loaf again with egg glaze. Bake until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 45 minutes. Transfer loaf to rack and cool at least 45 minutes before slicing. (Can be prepared ahead. Cool completely. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze up to 2 weeks. Uncover and thaw at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• Lay out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Imagine the pastry has 3 equal sections. Add the hazelnut spread to the center section and, using a knife, cover the center section with the spread, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top and bottom. Sprinkle the peanuts over the chocolate hazelnut spread.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the 2 outside sections into six 1-inch horizontal strips just to the center section.
• Fold the 1/2-inch borders at the top and bottom inwards, over the edges of the chocolate filling. Next, starting at one end, begin folding the pastry strips over the filling, alternating the sides to create a braid appearance. Put the braid on the parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Brush the pastry braid with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake until golden and cooked through, 28 to 30 minutes.
• While the pastry bakes, make the icing by whisking the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
• Allow the pastry to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle over the icing, slice and serve.

Steps:

• Stir warm water and honey in large bowl to blend. Sprinkle yeast over. Let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Heat buttermilk in small saucepan to lukewarm (about 100°F.). Stir into yeast mixture. Add 2 cups bread flour, 2 cups oats, wheat flour, oil and salt and stir until smooth. Gradually mix in enough remaining bread flour to form dough. Cover and let dough rest 15 minutes.
• Turn out dough onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, Adding more bread flour if sticky, about 10 minutes. Knead in nuts. Oil large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover bowl with clean towel; let rise in warm area until doubled, about 50 minutes.
• Oil large baking sheet. Punch down dough. Turn out onto oiled surface; knead briefly. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into 16-inch-long rope. Braid ropes together; tuck ends under and pinch to seal. Transfer to prepared sheet. Cover with clean towel. Let rise in warm area until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk egg and milk in bowl. Brush loaf generously with some of egg mixture. Sprinkle with additional oats. Bake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly; store at room temperature.)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cut 1 cup butter into flour until crumbly, leaving pea-sized chunks. Stir in sour cream, and mix well; dough will be very sticky. Form dough into a ball. Cover tightly, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Prepare the filling by combining 1 cup butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
• Divide dough into three equal parts; return two parts to the refrigerator to keep cold. Quickly form 1/3 of the dough into a rectangle, and flour lightly. On a heavily floured surface, roll out to approximately 12x17 inches. Position lengthwise on the work surface. Along the long edges of the dough rectangle, use a sharp knife to cut 4 inch long angled lines about 1/2 inch apart. Spoon 1/3 of the filling along the length of the rectangle's uncut center. Alternating from one side of the dough to the other, fold each 1/2 inch wide strip towards the center, crisscrossing the filling in a braid-like fashion. Lightly press together the ends of the strips to seal. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining walnuts. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 3 braided danishes. Arrange danishes on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool for approximately 30 minutes. While the danishes are cooling, prepare the icing: mix confectioners sugar and water until smooth. Drizzle in fine streams over warm danishes.

Steps:

• On a sprayed or floured surface, roll dough into a 12x14-inch rectangle. With a clean ruler, gently mark a 4 inch strip lengthwise down the center. Spread butter on entire surface. Place apple pie filling down center of dough. Spoon cranberry sauce on top of filling. Top with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Make cuts from filling to dough edges at about 2-inch intervals. Alternating sides, fold strips at an angle across filling. Fold bottom edge towards filling and finish by stretching last strip and tucking under bottom end. Using both hands, lift onto a sprayed baking sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Place on rack to cool. Drizzle with icing and sprinkle with additional chopped nuts