Apricot Cardamom Wreath

Bread:
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cardamom
½ cup margarine
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
6 to 7 cups

Filling:
2 to 2½ cups water
¼ cup brandy or apple juice
1 6oz. pkg. dried apricots
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp milk

For bread: in 2-qt. saucepan stir together sugar and cardamom; add margarine, milk and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until margarine is melted 5 to 8 minutes. Cool to warm at 105° to 115°.

In large bowl dissolve yeast in ¼ cup warm water; stir in warm milk mixture, sour cream, 3 eggs, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat and scrape bowl often until smooth 1 to 2 minutes. By hand stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 to 1½ hours. Dough is ready if indentation remaining when touched.

For filling: in 2-qt. saucepan combine 2 cups water, brandy or juice, and
apricots. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding small amount of additional water, if necessary, until apricots are tender and mixture is thickened, 40 to 45 minutes; asset aide.

Punch down dough; divide in half; Let rest 10 minutes. On lightly floured
surface roll one half of dough to 20 x 9 rectangle; cut into 3 (3” wide)
strips. Spread each strip with ¼ cup; apricot mixture to within ½” of
edges. Bring 20” sides up together; pinch sides and ends tightly to seal
well. Gently braid filled strips together. Place on greased large cookie
sheet; form into wreath or leave as a braid. Pinch ends to seal well.
Repeat with remaining dough and apricot mixture. Cover; let rise in warm
place 30 minutes.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. (Cover with
aluminum foil if bread browns too quickly.)

In small bowl, stir together egg and 2 tbsp milk. Brush breads with egg
mixture. Continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from cookie sheets; cool on wire racks.