Braided with almonds

Name: Braided with almonds - Caterina K.
Ingredients: Dough: 500 g flour; 50 g sugar; 100 g butter; 100 ml milk; 20 g yeast; 1 egg; a pinch of salt. Filling: 150 g almonds; 75 g sugar; 1 tablespoon rum essence; 3 tablespoons sour cream; 1 tablespoon apricot jam; a pinch of cinnamon. Syrup: water; sugar; lemon; a bit of rum essence.

Dessert - Braided with almonds by Caterina K. - Recipia

The almond braid is prepared from a leavened dough, with butter, milk, and egg, then filled with ground almonds, sour cream, apricot jam, and a little cinnamon. After baking, the cake is soaked while still slightly warm. The dough needs time to rise, and the filling is made very simply, directly in a bowl. It is a dessert suitable for serving in slices, alongside warm milk or your favorite drink. Quick info Total time: not specified in the original recipe; includes kneading, rising, shaping, the 10 minutes of rest, and baking Preparation time: not specified Baking time: approximately 50 minutes Servings: number not specified; served in slices Difficulty: medium Recipe type: leavened dessert with almonds and syrup Ingredients Dough 500 g flour 50 g sugar 100 g butter 100 ml milk 20 g yeast 1 egg a pinch of salt Filling 150 g almonds 75 g sugar 1 tablespoon rum essence 3 tablespoons sour cream 1 tablespoon apricot jam a pinch of cinnamon Syrup water sugar lemon a little rum essence The quantities for the syrup are not specified in the original recipe, so it is prepared to taste and depending on how much syrup you want the braid to absorb. Preparation method 1. Preparing the dough Put the flour in a bowl, then add the sugar, butter, egg, and a pinch of salt. Dissolve the yeast in warm milk, then pour it over the ingredients in the bowl. Knead well until you obtain a homogeneous dough. The recipe does not specify an exact kneading time, so stop when the ingredients are well incorporated and the dough is bound. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise. The rising time is not mentioned, so let the dough rise until it visibly increases in volume. 2. Preparing the almond filling While the dough is rising, grind the almonds and transfer them to a bowl. Add the sugar, rum essence, sour cream, apricot jam, and a pinch of cinnamon. Mix well until the ingredients combine and form a uniform filling. The apricot jam and sour cream bind the composition, while the ground almonds give it consistency. Keep the prepared filling until the dough is risen. 3. Rolling and filling the dough After the dough has risen, knead it again a little. Roll it out with a rolling pin, then distribute the filling over the entire surface of the dough sheet. Roll the dough as evenly as possible. When the roll is formed, cut it lengthwise down the middle. You will get two long parts, with the filling visible. Braid the two parts together, then place the braid in a baking dish. 4. Second rising Let the dough in the baking dish rise for another 10 minutes. This rest is short, but it is part of the recipe steps and is done before baking. 5. Baking Place the baking dish in the oven and bake the braid for about 50 minutes. The oven temperature is not specified in the original recipe, so use the usual setting for baking leavened dough. It is ready when it is golden on top. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the braid cool slightly before adding the syrup. 6. Preparing and adding the syrup Put water, sugar, lemon, and a little rum essence in a bowl. Boil or heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves and you obtain a syrup. Pour the syrup over the braid after it has been removed from the oven and has cooled slightly. Since the recipe does not specify quantities for the syrup, add it gradually so that it moistens the cake without overwhelming it. Why I make the recipe often The almond braid is easy to prepare once the dough has risen, and the filling is mixed in a single bowl. The almonds, apricot jam, and cinnamon give a well-defined flavor without the need for a complicated cream. I also like it because it can be sliced and served gradually. The syrup keeps it pleasant after baking, and the leavened dough makes the dessert more substantial than an ordinary cake. Usually, I cut it after it has cooled enough so that the filling remains between the layers. Tips The milk in which you dissolve the yeast should be warm, not hot. In too hot milk, the yeast can lose its effectiveness. Do not rush the first rising. The recipe does not provide a fixed duration as this can vary depending on the temperature in the kitchen and how active the yeast is. The important thing is for the dough to rise visibly. Spread the filling over the entire surface of the dough, but in as even a layer as possible. This way, the two parts resulting from the cut will have a similarly distributed filling. The second rising is only 10 minutes, according to the recipe. There is no need to extend it if the dough already looks well risen. Add the syrup when the braid is still slightly warm, but not immediately after it has been taken out of the oven. It will absorb the syrup better after it has cooled slightly. Substitutions Almonds are the main ingredient of the filling, and there is no indication in the original recipe for replacing them. If you change them, the texture and flavor will be different, so it is best to keep the same amount of dry ingredient. Apricot jam can be replaced with another jam, but this change alters the flavor of the filling. For a version as close as possible to the original recipe, use apricot jam. In the syrup, lemon and rum essence can be adjusted to taste, as the quantities are not specified. However, do not modify the base of the recipe: water, sugar, lemon, and a little rum essence. Variations For a milder flavor, you can use less rum essence in both the filling and the syrup. If you prefer a more pronounced taste, keep the quantity of one tablespoon in the filling, as mentioned in the recipe. Cinnamon can be slightly reduced or increased, but it should be kept as an ingredient of the filling if you want the specific flavor of the recipe. The braiding can be done simply from the two halves resulting from cutting the roll lengthwise. It is important that the roll is cut lengthwise, not into crosswise slices, to achieve the braided shape. Serving ideas The braid is served after it has cooled slightly and absorbed the syrup. In the original recipe, it is recommended alongside warm milk, but it can also be served plain or with your favorite drink. For more aesthetically pleasing slices, let the cake cool sufficiently before cutting. If cut immediately, the filling and syrup may still be too soft. Frequently asked questions How long should the dough be left to rise? The recipe does not specify an exact time. The dough is left to rise until it visibly increases in volume. The duration can vary depending on the temperature in the room and the yeast. At what temperature is the braid baked? The temperature is not mentioned in the original recipe. Only the baking time is specified, which is approximately 50 minutes, and that the braid should be golden when removed from the oven. When is the syrup added? The syrup is poured after baking, when the braid has been removed from the oven and has cooled slightly. It is not added before baking. Can I prepare the filling before the dough rises? Yes. The filling can be made while the dough is rising and kept in a bowl until the dough is ready to be rolled out and filled. Why is the roll cut in the middle? Cutting lengthwise allows the two parts to be braided together and leaves the filling visible on the surface of the braid. After cutting, the two pieces are twisted around each other and placed in the baking dish. Nutritional values The values below are estimates and do not include the syrup exactly, as the quantities of water and sugar are not specified. The calculation is indicative, based on the ingredients for the dough and filling, divided by approximately 100 g of product. For 100 g of almond braid: Calories: approximately 350–390 kcal Protein: approximately 8–10 g Carbohydrates: approximately 40–45 g Fat: approximately 18–21 g The final value may vary depending on the amount of syrup absorbed, the proportion of dough and filling in each slice, and the number of servings. The sugar in the syrup adds carbohydrates and calories, so a well-soaked braid may have higher values. Storage and reheating After cooling, keep the braid covered at room temperature to prevent it from drying out. Since it contains syrup and sour cream in the filling, it is recommended to consume it within a reasonable time. For a warm slice, heat it gently. Do not leave it too long in the heat, as the dough can dry out and the syrup can become sticky. If the cake has completely cooled, it is better to heat only the portion you are going to serve.

Braided with almonds

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