Cynthia Shea has been making Easter egg bread for 24 years. The bread is a sweet, moist, lemony yeast dough twisted into a ring with brightly colored Easter eggs; it makes an eye-catching, delicious Easter treat.
Nancy Eggert has made empanadas dulces, a sweet filled pastry, with this recipe. One day she was experimenting with a beef mixture left over from making tacos. Nancy used the taco mixture instead of peach preserves, and the result was wonderful.
Kim Adlerbert shares her recipe for French potato salad with Delores Ehrhardt.
Robert Redford cake is a delightful dessert that is prepared in layers. Bake a crust, then layer with a cream cheese-dessert topping mixture. When this has set up, top with a pudding layer, then more dessert topping.
* * *
For: Viola Furman of Tarpon Springs.
From: Cynthia Shea of Spring Hill.
Recipe: Easter Egg Bread.
Easter Egg Bread
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2/3 cup milk
3 eggs, one separated
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 eggs
Easter egg dye
1 teaspoon water
About 5 hours before serving or early in day: In bowl, mix sugar, salt, yeast and 1 cup flour. Heat butter and milk until very warm (125 degrees). With mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients. At medium speed, beat 2 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs, 1 egg white and 3/4 cup flour; beat 2 minutes. Stir in lemon peel and 11/4 cups flour.
On floured surface, knead dough about 5 minutes, working in about 1/2 cup flour; place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 11/2 hours.
Meanwhile, dye 6 eggs your favorite colors, following label directions from Easter egg coloring kit, but do not hard-cook eggs; set aside.
Punch down dough; turn onto floured surface; cover for 15 minutes.
Grease large cookie sheet. Cut dough in half; form each half into a 30-inch-long rope. On cookie sheet, twist ropes together to form braid.
On cookie sheet, press ends together to form ring, leaving holes for 5 eggs. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 11/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Insert raw colored eggs into holes in twist; place 1 egg in center. In a cup, beat egg yolk with water; use to brush dough. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf. 16 servings. 190 calories per serving.
* * *
For: Danny Cross of St. Petersburg.
From: Nancy Eggert of Dunedin.
Recipe: Empanadas Dulces.
Empanadas Dulces
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups Corn Chex cereal, crushed to 1/2 cup (measure and crush cereal in glass measuring cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup of your favorite preserves (see note)
1 tablespoon milk
In small bowl of electric mixer, cream butter. Add egg (mixture will separate). Slowly add flour, cereal and salt until blended (mixture will be dry). Add water. Mix until thoroughly blended. Form into ball. Add more flour if dough is too sticky, 1 tablespoon at a time.
On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 41/2-inch circles with floured cutter. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon of preserves onto center of circle. Moisten edges with water. Fold in half. Press edges with fork to seal. Prick tops with fork. Brush milk over tops. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. (Some of preserves may cook out of pastry.) Makes 10 empanadas.
* * *
For: Delores Ehrhardt of Yankeetown.
From: Kim Adlerbert of Largo.
Recipe: French Potato Salad.
French Potato Salad
Salad:
6 medium potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 clove garlic, cut into halves
1/4 teaspoon instant beef or chicken bouillon
1/3 cup hot water
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
Tarragon dressing:
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dark prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper
To prepare salad: Heat 1-inch salted water (1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup water) to boiling. Add potatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and cook until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain, cool and peel. Rub 2-quart bowl with garlic. Discard garlic. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch slices and place in bowl. Dissolve bouillon in hot water. Add wine. Pour over potatoes. Cover and refrigerate, stirring once or twice. Drain.
To prepare dressing: Shake all ingredients in tightly covered jar and gently toss with potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with tomato wedges if desired.
Mix together flour, nuts and margarine to form crust. Press into 9- by 13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. In mixing bowl, whip together cream cheese, sugar and half of dessert topping. Pour over cooled crust. Put in freezer until it sets up.
Mix together vanilla pudding mix, chocolate pudding mix and milk; beat until mixture thickens. Pour over cream cheese layer. Top with rest of dessert topping. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate bar to decorate. Refrigerate.
Recipe requests
Karin McArdle of Crystal Beach has lost a favorite recipe for pistachio Bundt cake. It is made with pistachio pudding mix (which gives the cake a light green color) and has a layer of chopped walnuts, cinnamon and sugar "streusel" inside.
Karin writes that it has been many years since she made this cake, and she looks forward to trying again.
Mary Ann Gondeh of Tarpon Springs enjoys the small molasses spice muffins served at the Beachcomber Restaurant on Clearwater Beach and would be delighted to have the recipe.
- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number with your letter. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.
