Easter Coffee Cake
 

2 compressed yeast cakes (2 envelopes)
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 egg yolks plus 2 tbsp. water
6 cups sifted flour
1/4 cup soft shortening or butter
raisins

 

Crumble yeast into a mixing bowl. Add scaled milk which is cooled to tepid warm. Add sugar and salt and stir until completely dissolved. Add floured raisins. Blend egg yolks and water in beater. Add flour gradually mixing thoroughly. Then with hand work in a little more flour until dough no longer sticks to bowl and is possible to handle work in shortening.
When mixed knead gently in bowl or on floured surface until elastic. Round up and set to rise in greased bowl. Cover with damp towel (keep at 80 - 85º).

Let dough rise 2 hrs. to double in size.
Punch dough down by pushing closed fist into center of dough. Fold edges to center and turn dough completely over in bowl.  Again cover with damp cloth and let rise approx 45 minutes until not quite double in size.
Then Punch down & round up on lightly floured surface.
Let stand 15 minutes to loosen up. Cover with damp cloth.
Form into 1 or 2 rings and let rise on cookie sheet; covered w/damp cloth.
Before putting in oven:
Beat egg & couple tbsp. milk and brush over top of dough.
Bake ______ minutes at _________º.
Take from oven and sprinkle with  granulated sugar.
(or after baked frost with confectionery sugar frosting & add nuts on top).