Cardamom braid & Jam dotted kuchen

The jam dotted kuchen is basically coffee cake. I opened a jar of home canned, unlabeled jam, thinking it was plum jam. It turned out to be boysenberry jam, compliments of my sister Janice, which probably worked much better. My neighbor had given me walnuts from her tree, so I grabbed the hammer and cracked a few for the streusel topping. This recipe was a success. I shared it with my coworkers and another taste-testing family.

"Just had a sliver...and it turned into a portion....then a wedge...and finally a hunk...hopefully no one will notice that a quarter of the cake is missing."

"Oh, yummy!!!!! The kuchen is like dessert. Very moist with a crispy sweet top. Very tasty!"

"The kunchenenenen is wonderful!"

RECIPE FROM BETTER HOMES & GARDENS (R): HOMEMADE BREAD COOKBOOK (C) 1973. USED WITH PERMISSION FROM MEREDITH CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not download or re-post this recipe to other websites or blogs. More recipes available at www.bhg.com/recipes.

JAM-DOTTED KUCHEN

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2/3 cup jam or preserves
Streusel-Nut Topping

In large mixer bowl combine 1 cup of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt just till warm (115-120 degrees), stirring to melt butter. Add to mixture in bowl; add egg. eat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Spread in two greased 8x1 1/2 inch round baking pans. Cover; let rise till double (about 1 hour). Carefully make holes at 2-inch intervals in the raised dough. Fill depressions with jam or preserves. Spread half of the Streusel-Nut Topping over top of each cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 2.

Streusel-Nut Topping: Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar. Cut in 1/4cup butter till crumbly. Add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix.



I don't think I've made braided bread before, but it was easy. I had to curl it, as it was too long to fit on the cookie sheet otherwise. The cardamom flavor didn't stand out at all but the bread tasted fine. It had milk (powdered, of course!) brushed on top and then sugar sprinkled on.

Sadly, the bottom burned.

"The braid is beautiful and the bread is nice and moist. I really don’t taste the cardamom in it."

"Both are awesome!"

"The Cardamom braid was yummy!!! I love sweet bread."