Cherry Vanocka

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup milk, scalded
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 cups flour
• 1 (20 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange rind
• 2 teaspoons wheat germ
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut
• 2 tablespoons almonds, crushed
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• milk

Recipe

• 1 cream butter with 1/3 cup flour.
• 2 roll butter mixture between 2 sheets of wax paper to form a 12x6 inch rectangle.
• 3 chill thoroughly.
• 4 dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.
• 5 combine scalded milk, sugar and salt.
• 6 cool mixture to lukewarm.
• 7 add yeast and egg; mix well.
• 8 add 4 cups flour.
• 9 turn out and knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and glossy, about 5 minutes.
• 10 roll dough into a 14 inch square on a lightly floured surface.
• 11 place chilled butter mixture on half the dough.
• 12 fold over other half of dough, sealing edges well with heel of hand.
• 13 roll dough on lightly floured surface into a 20x12 inch rectangle.
• 14 fold in thirds, so that you have three layers.
• 15 roll again into a 20x12 inch rectangle.
• 16 repeat the folding and rolling 2 more times.
• 17 chill 1/2 hour after last rolling.
• 18 roll into a 15x14 inch rectangle; lightly make two lines dividing dough into three equal sections.
• 19 on the two outside sections make 7-9 diagonal cuts.
• 20 they must be the same on each side.
• 21 mix next 5 ingredients together to make the filling.
• 22 spread filling down the center section; sprinkle with crushed almonds.
• 23 fold the dough strips over filling to make a braid-like bread.
• 24 tuck the last strips under the vanocka.
• 25 place on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.
• 26 remove from oven when golden brown.
• 27 mix confectioners' sugar and enough milk to desired consistency.
• 28 spread on warm vanocka.