Christmas Almond Paste Roll

I will post the recipe that I use each year for the Christmas roll but you could use any sweet roll recipe.  The filling is either the recipe below, or almond paste, or some of both which is what I do.  The candied fruit is basically to add color.

3 to 3 1/4 cups flour (370-410 grams)

1 pkg yeast (7 grams)

1 cup milk

6 T butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar (67 grams)

1/2 t salt (3 grams)

1 egg

For Almond Filling:

1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)

2T softened butter   

1/4 cup ground almonds (36 grams)  

1/4 t almond extract  (If you don't use any almond paste, I would double this amount)

Combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in a large mixer bowl.  In saucepan, heat together milk, butter, sugar and salt just till warm, stirring constantly till butter almost melts.  Add this to the dry mixture in bowl.  Add egg.  Beat at low speed of mixer for 1/2 minute., scraping bowl constantly.  Beat 3 minutes at high speed.  By hand stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  

Knead on lightly floured surface till smooth, about 3 - 5 minutes.  Shape into a ball.  Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease entire surface.  Cover and let rise in warm place till double, about 1 hour.  Punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes (it handles better this way).  

Roll out to an 18 by 12 inch rectangle.  Spread with almond filling (and almond paste if you wish).  Sprinkle with some bits of colorful candied fruit.  Roll up from long edge jelly roll style.  Pinch to seal edge.  Place seam side down and shape into a ring (or candy cane or tree) on large greased baking sheet.  Cut with kitchen shears every 1/2 inch to within 1/2 inch of bottom.  Gently pull slices out a bit.  Let rise in warm place till nearly double, about 45 minutes. 

Bake 375 oven for 20-25 min, or until the bread in the center seems firm  enough to be baked through.   If it doesn't seem done, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top so it won't continue to brown as it bakes for a few minutes longer.  Let cool slightly and drizzle a bit of icing over the top which will slide down the sides.  Decorate with cherries or candied fruit.  For the icing I just add a bit of lemon juice to confectioners sugar....or you could use milk.  Even if it is a bit thick, it will drizzle down the sides if the bread is still warm.  

When life was very busy, I sometimes made the bread ahead of time, froze it and let it thaw out for a few hours, put it in the oven to heat it through a bit and then frosted it.  

When Grandma Bryant made this, she sliced the jelly roll like you would cinnamon rolls and placed the pieces on a cookie sheet forming a Christmas tree.  Then she just drizzled the frosting over it all.  You can be quite creative with it really.

Almond Filling

Cream together 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2T softened  butter or margarine till light and fluffy.   Stir in 1/4 cup ground almonds and 1/4 t almond extract.  If you don't use any almond paste, I would double this amount!