Honey and Almond Cake

To prepare a delicious and aromatic bread ring, we start with the dough, which is the base of our preparation. It is important to respect the order in which we add the ingredients to the bread machine's bowl to achieve a perfectly risen dough. We begin with warm water, then add warm milk, followed by melted butter, the egg, salt, sugar, flour, and finally, the yeast. This order prevents contact between salt and yeast, ensuring even fermentation. We set the program for kneading and rising the dough, which takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes, during which we can prepare for the next steps.

Once the dough has risen beautifully, we take it out of the bowl and place it on a well-floured work surface. We roll it out with a rolling pin, forming a sheet measuring 40 cm x 45 cm. The surface of the sheet will be brushed with about 20 g of melted butter, an essential step to add extra flavor and aroma. Then, we evenly sprinkle ground almonds on the surface of the dough, leaving a margin of about 5 cm.

After preparing the filling, we tightly roll the sheet of dough until we obtain a roll approximately 45 cm long. This will then be cut into two halves, which will be carefully braided, forming a beautiful bread ring. Finally, we join the ends of the roll, creating a round shape, which we place in a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. It is time to let the dough rise in a warm place, covered with a towel, for one hour.

While the dough is rising, we can prepare the milk and egg yolk mixture. In a bowl, we combine 50 ml of milk with one egg yolk, mixing until we obtain a homogeneous composition. This mixture will be used to brush the dough, giving it a golden color when baked.

For the syrup, in a pot, we put 300 ml of water, 150 g of granulated sugar, a packet of vanilla sugar, and a bottle of rum essence. We gently mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon and let it simmer on low heat until a syrup forms. After the syrup has cooled slightly, we add the grated zest of a large lemon, mixing again.

Meanwhile, we preheat the oven to a moderate temperature. The bread ring is baked on the middle rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, until it acquires a golden, appetizing color. After taking it out of the oven, we brush the bread ring with the sugar syrup, ensuring that it absorbs all the flavors. We finish with a brushing of honey and a sprinkle of ground almonds, adding a crunchy appearance and a delicious taste. Enjoy this bread ring in the company of loved ones, as it is perfect for both a festive meal and a weekend dessert!

 Ingredients: For the dough: - 125 ml warm milk - 125 ml warm water - 80 g melted butter (I melted the butter in the microwave) - 1 egg - 1 teaspoon of salt - 150 g granulated sugar - 550 g freshly sifted flour 000 - 1 packet of dry yeast (1 packet contains 7 g of dry yeast) For the filling: - 20 g butter - 70 g ground/chopped almonds (to taste) For brushing the dough before baking: - 50 ml room temperature milk - 1 egg yolk For brushing the loaf after baking (syrup): - 300 ml water - 150 g granulated sugar - 1 packet of vanilla sugar - 1 small bottle of rum essence - grated peel of a large lemon For brushing the loaf after syruping: - 5 tablespoons of honey - 50 g ground almonds

 Tags:  eggs milk unt flour sugar lemon honey vegetarian recipes recipes for children