Hungarian Golden Dumpling Coffee Cake (aranygaluska)

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 15
• 4 3/4-5 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup whole milk, scalded (to scald milk heat in the top of a double-boiler over simmering water, just until a thin film appear)
• 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 f)
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (about 3 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sweet butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins (about 2.5 ounces)

Recipe

• 1 soften yeast in warm water and let stand 5-10 minutes so that it proofs.
• 2 in a large bowl, combine shortening, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt, then immediately pour scalded milk over mixture.
• 3 while mixture is warm, mix in 1/2 cup flour and beat until dough is smooth.
• 4 stir the yeast, then add it to the dough, mixing well.
• 5 add half of the remaining flour and beat until dough is very smooth.
• 6 beat in the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• 7 turn dough out on lightly floured surface and let rest 5-10 minutes.
• 8 knead by folding opposite side over towards you, then using the heels of your hands to push the dough away, then give it a quarter turn and repeat process until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes) (always turn the dough in the same direction and use as little additional flour as possible).
• 9 form dough into a large ball and place in a greased bowl.
• 10 turn the ball over so that the surface on the top is greased and cover bowl with waxed paper and a towel.
• 11 let rise in warm place (80°f) until doubled in bulk (1 1/2-2 hours).
• 12 punch dough down with fist, pull the edges into the center, and turn ball over inside the bowl.
• 13 cover bowl and let dough rise until nearly doubled again in bulk.
• 14 meanwhile, lightly grease the bottom of a 10-inch tubed pan.
• 15 in a shallow dish combine 1 cup sugar, nuts, and cinnamon and set aside.
• 16 place melted butter in another shallow dish and set aside.
• 17 tear off bits of dough and form into balls 1-1 1/4-inch in diameter (about the size of walnuts).
• 18 roll balls first in melted butter, then lightly in the cinnamon mixture.
• 19 arrange a layer of balls in the bottom of the pan so that they don't touch each other.
• 20 sprinkle about 1/3 of the raisins over the balls and gently press into the dough.
• 21 continue this process until all of the dough is formed into balls and arranged in the pan and all of the raisins have been used up.
• 22 sprinkle any remaining butter and cinnamon mixture over the top layer.
• 23 cover pan with waxed paper and towel and let dough rise until light (30-45 minutes).
• 24 bake at 375°f until golden brown (35-40 minutes).
• 25 run spatula around sides of pan and invert onto a plate.
• 26 to serve, break cake apart with 2 forks.