Shortcut Russenzopf - KAF

By norsegal8

Traditionally made with labor-intensive laminated croissant dough and hazelnut filling, we’ve made this treat easier for the home baker–and every bit as delicious! The photo at right shows a nicely risen russenzopf, ready to go into the oven.

Dough
Use your favorite brioche or other sweet bread recipe; the recipe should use about 3 cups of flour. Or use an easy mix: King Arthur’s brioche and golden sweet coffee bread are both appropriate here. Prepare the dough up through its first rise.

Ingredients

• Filling
• 1 cup pecan meal, or hazelnut or almond flour, toasted or plain
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan.

Gently deflate the dough, and roll it into an 11" x 16" rectangle. Stir together the filling ingredients, and spread over the dough, leaving a 1" margin along the short edge closest to you. Starting with the filled edge, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seam closed. Gently roll the log till it’s about 14" long.

Use a sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise. Twist the two halves together, trying to keep the cut sides facing up as much as possible. Form the twisted log into a ring and place it in the prepared pan. Cover the russenzopf with a damp cloth or lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise for 45 minutes. It won’t double in bulk, but will look a bit puffy.

Bake the russenzopf for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread feels firm on top and the internal temperature reaches 190°F. The bread will brown quite a bit due to the nuts–tent it lightly with a sheet of foil halfway through the baking time. Remove the bread from the oven, and after 10 minutes gently remove it from the pan and allow it to cool on a rack.
Yield: one loaf, 8 to 10 servings.