Recipes

Sweet Ways To Celebrate The Season

Posted: 3/21/2012

You can hatch up a happy surprise with sweet baby chicks.

(NAPSI)—A delightful way for your family to greet the end of winter can be by getting together and baking up tasty treats that signify renewal, such as Sweet Chicks and Bird’s Nest Coffee Cake:

Sweet Chicks

Makes 18 chicks

5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 large eggs

Raisins

Here’s an egg-cellent idea: A coffee cake that looks like a nest.

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

1-1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

2 to 3 drops yellow or red food coloring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, lemon peel and salt in large mixing bowl. Heat milk, water and butter till very warm (120° to 130°F). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface till smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 18 equal pieces; roll each into 10-inch rope. Tie each into a knot, leaving one end slightly shorter. Place knots, short ends up, 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Pinch short end of knot to form head and pointed beak. Insert 2 raisins for eyes. Press long end of knot down; with sharp knife, make 4 to 5 cuts to form tail. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake at 375°F 12 to 15 minutes or till done. Cover heads with small pieces of foil if they become too brown. Remove from sheet to wire rack. Brush with Powdered Sugar Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients in small bowl; stir until smooth.

Bird’s Nest Coffee Cake

3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup milk

¼ cup butter or margarine

9 eggs

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon water

Food coloring

Orange Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice

Combine 1½ cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, orange peel and salt in large mixing bowl. Heat water, milk and butter until very warm (120° to 130°F); stir into flour mixture. Stir in 1 egg, almonds and enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface till smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll each half to 30-inch rope. Loosely twist ropes together. Place twisted rope on large greased baking sheet; shape into circle and pinch ends together to seal. Place 7 eggs, evenly spaced, on dough, pressing between ropes in twist. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over dough (not on eggs). Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet; let cool on wire rack. Brush eggs with food coloring. Drizzle Orange Glaze over bread: Combine glaze ingredients in small bowl; stir until smooth. Serve warm. Refrigerate any leftovers.

More recipes and tips are at www.breadworld.com.