I was going through old files and came across more than a dozen recipes from a good friend and neighbor, Ina, from when I lived in Jackson Heights. I have scheduled some of her savory dishes to post later in the month. But this was her Signature Dish and I wanted to post this now. I did not have a photo of it but I found one in a photo library.
I will post all of them this month, Thanks, Ina
Ingredients
2 packages of dry yeast
1/2 cup water warmed to the directions on yeast packages
4 cups of unbleached flour, sifted
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup of raw sugar
4 eggs
the rind of one lemon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of blanched Almonds
1/2 cup of each of the following, diced citrons, white raisins and currants
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare yeast as directed on packages in a large bowl
Once the yeast is ready, whisk 1 1/2 cups of sifted flour into yeast mixture until smooth. Cover and let stand for about 1 hour to let rise.
In the stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar and until smooth.
All while the mixer is on low,
Now add the salt, vanilla, and lemon rind.
Next followed by one egg at a time: only add the next egg once the other is completely combined.
Now alternating in equal parts, the yeast mixture with the remaining flour, then let the mixer go for at least 10 minutes after the last of the flour is added.
In a butter a decorative Turk's head pan, Bunt Pan, or another pan of choice. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with the almonds.
Now pour half of the batter in the pan, sprinkle in the fruit, then cover with the remaining batter. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour, you want the dough to be almost to the top of the pan.
Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until firm.
let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and let cool the rest of the way on a rack.
You can sprinkle with powder sugar.