Apricot Tea Rings
Taste of Home
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This coffee cake is a favorite of mine. It's attractive, delicious and cuts like a dream. Sometimes I use convenient canned pie filling when I want a different flavor and I'm pressed for time.
-Dot Christiansen
Bettendorf, Iowa
SERVINGS: 24
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 45 + rising Bake: 25 min. + cooling
Ingredients:
- 4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 2 eggs
- FILLING:
- 12 ounces dried apricots, diced
- 2 cups water
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons orange juice
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- GLAZE:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and nutmeg. In a saucepan, heat the milk, water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat until moistened. Beat in eggs until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In a saucepan, combine the apricots and water. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed and apricots are tender. Remove from the heat; stir in the brown sugar, juice and nuts. Cool.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each into an 18-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Spread half of the filling over each rectangle to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up each jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal.
Place seam side down on greased baking sheets; pinch ends of each together to form a ring. With scissors, cut each from outside edge two-thirds toward center of ring at 1 in. intervals. Separate strips slightly: twist so filling shows, slightly overlapping with previous piece. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375° for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm tea rings. Yield: 2 rings (12 slices each).