Gugelhupf

I'm very late with everything. I've been thrown off
track by life. I want to post about my usual
Christmas things. So maybe I'll just say
that I'm early this year.

I make this as a gift for a Saint (really and truly)
that I know.

This recipe comes from Gourmet's Old Vienna Cookbook
by Lillian Lanseth-Christensen. It's a real treasure chest.

This recipe is very easy. It's just got a lot of ingredients.
And if you are type of person who is nervous about
bread baking it doesn't get any easier than this.

OK.
Dissolve 2 envelopes of yeast in 1/2 cup warm milk and
add 2 tablespoons sugar. Put the mixture n a warm place
for 1/2 hour.

Sift 4 cups flour. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt,
1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup raisins, 3/4 cup sliced almonds
and the grated rind of 1 lemon and toss to combine.
Make a well in center of flour, pour in the yeast mixture.
Stir 4 beaten eggs and 3/4 cup melted butter into the dough
and work in gradually 1/2 cup warm milk, to form a smooth
dough. This will be a very soft and sticky dough. Don't worry
you don't have to handle it much. Cover the dough
and let it rise for 2 hours until double in bulk.

Punch down the dough and shape it quickly into a ring.
Put in a well-buttered and floured 10-inch
gugelhupf pan. I put slivered almonds in the bottom.
Let rise for 1 bour. Bake at 375 F for 1 hour.
When cooled a bit and removed from pan
dust with confectioner's sugar. It's better
the next day.