Cooking During The Holiday Season
Make icing by beating the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
Add the milk and mix well. Take 1/2 of the icing away, and add the cocoa to that batch.
When the roll is cool, unroll and spread most of the white icing saving a little to do the ends of the log.
Roll up firmly and ice the outside with chocolate icing first. Then, use the remaining white icing on the ends.
This is served traditionally at Yule time (Winter Solstice) in Pagan cultures, also during Christmas time in France.
Christmas Braid
By: TJ Hill - Appetites Catered
5 cups flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup milk
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 teaspoon anise seed - crushed
1 teaspoon lemon zest - grated
1 cup seedless raisins
1 egg yolk - beaten
1/4 cup blanched almonds - sliced
Combine yeast and 2 1/2 cups flour in a mixer bowl and mix well. Combine milk, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan, over a low flame. Heat to 120 degrees, remove from heat. Stir into flour mixture. Add eggs, egg white, anise seeds, and lemon zest. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much flour as you can by hand. Add raisins and turnout onto a very lightly floured board knead for 6 to 8 minutes by hand, until smooth and elastic shape into a ball. Place into a greased bowl and turn once. Cover and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled in size. Punch down, divide in half, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Set one half aside. Divide the remaining piece in half. Cut one half in thirds.
Roll each third into an 18-inch rope. Loosely braid and place onto a greased cookie sheet. Divide the other half into fourths. Roll three into 14-inch ropes. Braid loosely and place on top of the 18-inch braid. Cut the remaining fourth into three pieces. Roll into 12-inch ropes. Braid loosely and place on top of the 14-inch braid Tuck ends under. Repeat with the other half of dough. Cover and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes. Brush with egg yolks and sprinkle with almonds. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven. Serve warm or at room
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