Ingredients:Dough:• 3/4cupmilk• 1/4cupbutter• 1egg• 1/4cupsugar• 1teaspoonsalt• 1tablespoonyeast• 21/2-3cupsflour• Oilorcookingspray

Filling:• 1cupsugar• 1tablespooncinnamon• 1/2teaspoonnutmeg• 1/4teaspoongroundcloves• 1/4cupmeltedbutter• 1/4cupchoppednuts• 1cupdriedfruit,chopped• 1tablespoonmeltedbutter(for

brushingontothedough)

Glaze:• 1cupconfectioner'ssugar• Waterormilk• 1/2teaspoonvanilla• Maraschinocherries,forgarnish

RoyalIcing(optional)• Whiteofonepasteurizedegg

(oneounce)• 1/2teaspoonvanilla11/3cupofpowderedsugar

Tannenbaum Coffee Cake for Christmas

Morning

Tomakethedough:Heatthemilkandbuttertogetherinthemicrowaveuntilwarm,nothot.Whilethemilkcoolsslightly,mixdryingredientsinamediumbowl:2cupsofflour,sugar,salt,andyeast.Lightlybeatyouregg,andstiritintothewarmmilkandbuttermixture.Stirthemilkmixtureintothedrymixturetomakeastickydough.Sprinkleaboutaquarterofacupofflourontoacleancounterandturnthedoughoutontotheflour.Sprinkleanotherquartercupontop,andkneadthedough.Toknead,usebothhandstopressdownonthedough,foldittowardyou,andgiveitaquarterturnbeforerepeatingtheprocess.Continuekneadingforabouttenminutes.Addmoreflourasneeded,sparingly--toomuchwillmakethedoughfeeldrywhenit'sbaked.Whenthetextureofthedoughbecomesfirmandspringy,it'sbeenkneadedenough.Formthedoughgentlyintoaball.Lightlyoilabowl,droptheballofdoughin,andthenturnitoveroncesothatit'scoveredwithoil.Placeaclothoverthebowlandsetitasidetoriseforaboutanhour,untilit'sdoubledinsize.Tomakethefilling:Startbychoppingyourchoiceofassorteddriedfruittomakeonecup.Chopnuts.Combinethesugarandspices.Addthemeltedbutterandcombinecompletely,thenstirinthechoppedfruitandnuts.Toshapethecoffeecake:Whenthedoughhasrisenuntilit'sdoubledinsize,givethedoughagoodpunchtomakeitcollapse.Thenturnitoutontoalightlyflouredcounter.Lightlyflourarollingpin,androllthedoughoutintoanisoscelestrianglewitha12-inchbaseand15-inchsides.Brushthedoughwithatablespoonofmeltedbutter.Coverthedoughevenlywiththefilling,leavingspacealongtheedges.

Bringthesidestogetheroverthecenterofthetriangle,pinchingthefilling-freeedgesfirmlytogethertomakeatightseam.Sealthebottomaswellsofillingdoesn'tfalloutwhenyoutransferittothebakingsheet.Turnthetriangleover,seamdownward,ontotheoiledbakingsheet.Lightlyscoreaguidelinedownthecenterofthetriangle,frompeaktobase.Usesturdykitchenscissorstomake8cutsintoeachside,endingaboutaquarterinchfromthecenterline.Startingatthebottom,giveeachsliceafirmdownwardtwist,towardyou.Twisteachonesothatthefillingisvisible,andtheendsaretiltedforwardslightly.Coverthetreelightlywithplasticwrap,andplaceitintothefridgetorestandriseovernight.Tobakeanddecorate:Inthemorning,turnontheovento350,pullthecoffeecakeoutofthefridge,andletitcometoroomtemperatureonthecounterforhalfanhourwhiletheovenheats.Bakethecoffeecakeat350for20-30minutes,tillthebreadisgolden-brownandthefillingissizzling.Allowthecoffeecaketocoolslightlywhileyoumixtheglazeoricing.Tomakeabasicglaze,siftthepowderedsugarintoameasuringcupwithapourspout,thendrizzlemilkorwaterin,whisking,untilit'sathick,smooth,pouringconsistency.Addvanilla.Drizzletheglazeoverthecoffeecakeinadecorativepattern.Addcolorfulmaraschinocherries,cutintohalves,orbright-coloredcandiedfruit.RoyalIcing(touseinsteadoforontopofglaze):Beatoneounceofpasteurizedeggwhite(theequivalentofthewhiteofoneegg)withahandmixer,togetherwiththevanilla,untilfluffyandwhite.Graduallyaddoneandathirdcupsoficingsugar,beatingatlowspeed.Onceallthesugarismixedin,continuebeatingathighspeeduntiltheicingisglossyandstiff.Useaplasticbagwithatinycornersnippedoff,oranicingbagwithapipingnozzle,orevenaspoon,todrizzleoverthecoffeecakeinaprettydesign.Addcherries.