English Coffee Braids - Mrs. C. G. Hawks

English Coffee Braids

1 1/4 cups milk, scalded
1/4 butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast
2 slightly beaten eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups raisins

Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt. Cool to luke-warm. soften yeast in water and add to mixture. Add eggs. Add flour sifted with cinnamon and add raisins. Mix to soft dough. Knead lightly. Place in greased bowl, grease top of dough, cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch down. let rise until double again. Divide into 2 equal parts. Roll each into rectangle 1/2 inch thick; cut rectangle length-wise into 3 strips. Braid three strips in loaf form or ring tucking ends under and matching them. Place on creased baking sheet; cover and let rise until double in bulk. Bake at 375 deg. for 30 minutes.

While hot, spread with the following icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp hot milk

Sprinkle with chopped nuts, decorate with cherries, etc. as you like it.
- - Mrs. C. G. Hawks
Trinity Treasures 1966, Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Earth, MN