Imbolc recipes

IMBOLC:

Braided Almond Coffee Cake:

* 1 loaf [1 pound] frozen bread dough, thawed
* Filling Recipe: 1 package [8 ounces] cream cheese, softened; 1/4 Cup sugar; 1 egg; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract [you can probably substitute pure vanilla extract]; 3/4 Cup vanilla or white chips; 1 Tble milk.
* Glaze Recipe: 1 Cup confectioners [icing] sugar; 1/4 teaspoon almond [or pure vanilla] extract; 1-2 Tablespoons milk; 1/2 Cup slivered almonds, toasted.

1.) Roll dough into 15-inch X 9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheet.
2.) Combine ingredients for filling [except chips!] until smooth. Mixture will be soft!
3.) Spread mixture down center of rectangle; sprinkle with chips.
4.) On each long side of the rectangle cut 1-inch wide strips about 1/2-inch from the filling.
5.) Starting at one end, fold over alternating strips of dough at an angle across filling. Seal ends.
6.) Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled--about 1 hour.
7.) Brush with milk. Bake at 350-degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire wrack.

Glaze: add powdered sugar, extract, and enough milk into a bowl to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over finished coffee cake. Sprinkle with almonds.

Brighid Cakes: Many of these recipes were given to me by my friend, and British High Priestess [as well as Pagan author], Anna Franklin:

* 1 lb. plain flour
* 4 oz margarine
* 4oz sugar
* 2 oz chopped peel
* ¾ pint milk
* Pinch of salt
* 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda [aka. baking soda]
* 1 tsp. cream of tartar
* 4 oz sultanas

Method: Sieve the flour and salt, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Rub in the margarine, then add the sugar, peel and sultana. Add the milk and knead into a dough. Place in a greased 7" tin and bake in a hot oven at 200oC/400oF/gas mark 6 for 60 minutes. Turn the oven down to 180oC/350oF/gas mark 4 and bake for another 30 minutes. Turn out and cut into smaller pieces to serve.