Sweet Nutcracker Braid

Enjoy this sweet nutty braid drizzled with powdered sugar, vanilla, milk - ready in an hour. ...MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

November 16, 2010

Bread

2/3

cup chopped pecans

1/2

cup finely chopped dates

1/4

cup raisins

tablespoon sugar

1/8

teaspoon cinnamon

sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/3

cup apricot preserves

3/4

cup powdered sugar

1/4

teaspoon vanilla

to 2 tablespoons milk

1/4

cup chopped pecans

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1

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl, combine 2/3 cup pecans, dates, raisins, sugar and cinnamon; mix well.
2

Unfold puff pastry; place on sprayed cookie sheet. Roll to form 14x10-inch rectangle. Spread preserves in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of pastry. Sprinkle fruit and nut mixture over preserves.
3

With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of pastry to within 1/2 inch of filling. Fold strips at an angle across filling mixture, overlapping ends and alternating from side to side.
4

Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on serving platter. Cool 15 minutes.
5

In small bowl, blend powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled braid. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans.

Puff pastry is made with many thin, alternating layers of dough and butter. As the pastry bakes, the moisture in the butter produces steam, which separates the dough into tender, flaky layers. Puff pastry, or pâte feuilletée, is one of the three basic doughs in French pastry-making. The other two are pâte brisée, (short pastry, as for pie dough) and pâte à choux (cream puff pastry)
Bake and cool this braid; do not glaze it. Wrap the cooled braid tightly in plastic wrap, seal it in a food storage plastic freezer bag and freeze it for up to four days. To serve, unwrap and thaw it at room temperature before glazing it.