Festive Cranberry Apple Tea Ring

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Brighten your holidays with this attractive tea ring. The delicately flavored orange bread overflows with a delicious filling of cranberries and apples. Drizzled with an orange glaze, this decorative ring makes a mouthwatering centerpiece for your holiday table.

Cranberry Apple Tea Ring

Dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 envelope Active Dry Yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1 egg, whole

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

Filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup apples, peeled, cored and thin sliced
• 1 cup cranberries, dried
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Directions:
Makes: 1 Tea Ring (serves 12)

In a large mixing bowl combine 1cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Heat milk, water, butter or oil, and grated orange rind to 120º to 130ºF. Butter does not need to melt. Add to flour mixture.

By hand or with a hand-held mixer, blend together. Beat 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg; beat I minute. Stir in remaining flour to make a firm dough.

Knead on floured surface 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Use additional flour if necessary. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe* (approximately 40 minutes).

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove air bubbles. Roll or pat into a 15- x 12-inch rectangle. Wisk egg white and water; brush on top of dough. Save remaining egg wash for glazing risen tea ring before baking.

Combine sugar and cinnamon; spread on dough; top with apples, cranberries and nuts. Starting with longer side, roll dough into a log. Pinch long edge to seal. Form log into ring; overlap and pinch together ends to seal. Place ring seam-side down on large greased baking sheet.

Using scissors, cut from outside edge of ring through all layers of dough to within 1-inch of center edge of ring. Make cuts 1-inch apart. Twist each cut section to its side to show the pinwheels. Cover; let rise until indentation remains after lightly touching side of ring (about 1 /2 hour). Brush top with remaining egg wash.

Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Blend powdered sugar, orange juice and grated orange rind until smooth. Drizzle over cooled tea ring.

*Ripe Test: Gently stick two fingers into the risen dough up to the second knuckle; remove. If the indentations remain, the dough is ripe and ready for punch down and shaping.

Nutrition Information (per serving)
Servings per recipe: 12; Calories: 300; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 25mg; Sodium: 210mg; Total Carbohydrates: 52g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 25g; Protein: 7g

Used with permission: © 2010 Red Star Yeast. All Rights Reserved.