The Icelandics have a practical and down-to-earth approach to all of their cooking and baking, but they are exceptionally skilled at making wonderful things to go with coffee!
Makes i coffee ring
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water, 105°F to 115°F
1 egg
1\2 cup butter
5 cup sugar
5 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
2 1\2 to 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup almond paste
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and let stand 5 minutes. Add the egg, butter, sugar, salt, and sour cream. Beat in 2 cups of the flour to make a stiff dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about i hour.
Turn out onto lightly floured board and roll out to make a square about 20 to 24 inches across as illustrated. To make the filling, blend the almond paste, egg, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Spread this mixture over the rolled-out dough to within i inch of the edge of the dough. Sprinkle with the raisins and orange peel. Roll dough up, jelly-roll fashion, enclosing the filling, Step i. Cover baking sheet or a 16-inch pizza pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Place roll on the pan in the shape of a wreath and seal ends together, Step 2. With a pair of scissors, clip the wreath and lift the cut dough back over the wreath decoratively, Step 3. Let rise i hour or until puffy. Preheat oven to 400°?. To make glaze, mix the beaten egg well with the 2 tablespoons milk. Brush wreath with the mixture and sprinkle with the pearl sugar. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden.
