Figure 8 Baltic Birthday Bread

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

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This recipe makes 20 servings

Nutritional Info
Per each of 20 servings: about	-
cal	268268 cal
pro	6 g6g pro
total fat	8 g8g total fat
sat. fat	3 g3g sat. fat
carb	45 g45g carb
fibre	2 g2g fibre
chol	24 mg24mg chol
sodium	120 mg120mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	4 %4% calcium
iron	1414 iron
vit A	66 vit A
vit C	22 vit C
folate	1010 folate

Gisela Fleich of Mount Brydges, Ont., is from Estonia, where this special bread is as common for birthday celebrations as chocolate cake is in Canada. Her children appreciate being feted with this taste of heritage baking, and Gisela also surprises friends of Estonian background on their birthdays.

Ingredients

1/4 tsp saffron 1/4 1/4tsp tspsaffron
1/4 cup boiling water 1/4 1/4cup cupboiling water
3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 3/4cup cupgranulated sugar
1/2 cup warm water 1/2 1/2cup cupwarm water
1 pkg active dry yeast , (or 2-1/2 tsp/ 12 mL)1 1pkg pkgactive dry yeast, (or 2-1/2 tsp/ 12 mL)
6 cups all-purpose flour 6 6cups cupsall-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups warm milk 1-1/4 1-1/4cups cupswarm milk
1/2 cup butter , softened1/2 1/2cup cupbutter, softened
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 1/2tsp tspsalt
3/4 cup raisins 3/4 3/4cup cupraisinraisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds 1/2 1/2cup cupslivered almonds
1/4 cup candied mixed peel 1/4 1/4cup cupcandied mixed peel
2 tbsp grated lemon rind 2 2tbsp tbspgrated lemon rind
1 egg , beaten1 1eggeggs, beaten
2 tbsp sliced almonds 2 2tbsp tbspsliced almonds

Preparation

Stir saffron into boiling water; let cool. Dissolve 1 tsp (5 mL) of the sugar in warm water. Sprinkle with yeast; let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Place flour in large bowl and make well in centre. Pour cooled saffron mixture into well, then yeast mixture, milk, remaining sugar, butter and salt ; using wooden spoon, stir until combined. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine raisins, almonds, peel and lemon rind. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead in raisin mixture until evenly distributed and dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough. Roll out into 40-inch (1 m) long rope; shape into figure 8, pinching ends to seal. Place on greased rimmed baking sheet; cover and let rise for 15 minutes. Brush with egg and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped. Let cool on pan on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool completely. (Can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day or frozer for up to 2 weeks.)