½ c. sugar
2 t. grated lemon peel
¼ t. salt
2 packages active dry yeast
about 4 cups flour
¾ c. milk
1 ¼ c butter
1 egg
¼ c. packed brown sugar
1 2 ½ oz package sliced almonds
In large bowl, combine sugar, lemon peel, salt, yeast and
1 cup flour. In saucepan, over low
heat, heat milk and ½ cup butter until very warm (120-130). Butter does not
need to melt completely. With mixer on
low speed, gradually beat liquid into dry ingredients until blended. Increase speed to medium, beat 2 minutes
occasionally scraping with rubber spatula.
Gradually beat in egg and 1 cup flour to make a thick batter, continue
beating 2 minutes longer. With wooden
spoon, stir in 1 ¾ cups flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth and
elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour while kneading (about ¼ cup).
Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased medium bowl, turning dough
once. Cover bowl with towel and let
rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour. (Dough is doubled
when two fingers pressed lightly into dough leave a dent) Punch down
dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured
surface, cover with bowl and let rise 15 minutes. Roll dough into a 15 by 10 rectangle. Cut ½ cup butter into thin slices. Starting at one of the 10 inch sides, place one half of the
butter slices over two thirds of rectangle to within ½ inch of the sides. Fold unbuttered third of dough over middle
third fold opposite end over to make a 5 by 10 rectangle. Again roll dough into 15 by 10
rectangle. Place remaining butter
slices on dough and fold as you did previously. Wrap folded dough in plastic wrap, chill 15 minutes. Meanwhile, grease 15 ½ by 10 ½ pan. Roll folded dough into 15 ½ by 10 ½
rectangle, place in pan. Cover pan with
towel and let rise in warm place until doubled. Preheat oven 375. In
saucepan over medium low heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Remove from heat and set aside. With thumb, make deep indentations in dough,
about 1 inch apart. With pastry brush,
brush butter over top of dough. Place
brown sugar in a small sieve, with spoon press sugar through sieve over the top
of the dough. Sprinkle dough with almonds.
Bake 20 minutes or until golden.
Cool cake in pan 10 minutes on rack.
Serve warm or cool completely.
Wrap with foil.