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All Saints' Day Strietzel
In Germany, there is no Halloween. However they celebrate All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen), November 1, and St. Martin's Day (Martinstag),November 11, with traditions that are very similar. On All Saints' Day, families in Germany's Catholic regions pay visits to relatives' graves. Afterward, godparents stop by their godchildren's' homes with gifts of braided sweet bread called Strietzel or Spitz'l in Bavaria, Hefezopf in other parts of Germany. The Strietzel comes in varying lengths and can be more than 3 feet long. Children being children, and rarely little saints, they often compete with one another to see who has received the longest braid. While today most Strietzel comes from the neighborhood baker, it can certainly be made at home if you have a bit of time and hungry little saints in the house.
1-1/2 oz. yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/4 cup warm milk
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
4 tablespoons rum
2-2/3 cup flour
3/4 stick butter, plus butter for coating
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup minced hazelnuts
1 egg
1 pinch salt
In a bowl combine yeast with one tablespoon sugar and about 3/4 cup warm milk. Allow the mixture to ferment (approximately 15 minutes).Meanwhile rinse and drain the dried currants and soak them in rum. Melt butter. Blend well all ingredients into yeast mixture (butter, flour, remaining milk, sugar, egg, salt, hazelnuts, and rum-currants) and form into a dough.
Knead on a floured board until dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the board. Let covered dough rise in a warm place until double in bulk (at least 1-1/2 hours). Knead dough again and divide into three pieces. Roll pieces on floured board to an approximate length of 20 inches and braid them.
Place on a buttered baking sheet and let rise covered another 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees about 25 minutes. Most delicious oven-fresh and coated with a powdered sugar glaze.
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