Catholic Recipe: Luscious Coffee Ring

March 25 forecasts the most important and blessed event in Church history. To many of us it is the assurance that, as the seasons follow each other in orderly procession, so Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, is slowly but surely on its way. The year is a great circle of days, and imaginative homemakers throughout the world have done modest but sincere homage to Annunciation Day by serving cakes, coffee rings, or cookies baked in wreath shapes.

DIRECTIONS

Scald milk. Add shortening, sugar, and salt. Stir till sugar dissolves; cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in water; combine with milk mixture. Stir in half the flour; add eggs; beat well. Add enough of remaining flour to make soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured board; knead till smooth and elastic. Put in a greased bowl; brush with melted butter; cover; let rise in warm place, 80°-85°, until double in bulk — about 1 hour. Turn out on floured board; roll into rectangle 8 by 12 inches. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like jelly roll; shape into ring on greased baking sheet; seal ends. From the outside cut through ring toward center, almost all the way through, in 1-inch slices. Turn slices slightly on side. Brush with butter; cover; let rise about 45 minutes or until double in bulk. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes. While warm spread with Confectioners' Sugar Icing (see recipe); sprinkle with chopped walnuts.