Cardamom Rolls

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 (2 1/2 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water, very warm
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup almonds, sliced

Recipe

• 1 sprinkle yeast over very warm water; stir in 1 tsp of the sugar. ("very warm water" should feel comfortably warm when dropped on the wrist.) stir to dissolve yeast: let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
• 2 combine mikl, remaining sugar and margarine in a medium-size saucepan; heat until margarine melts. pour into a large bowl; cool to lukewarm. stir in yeast mixture; beat in eggs and cardamom.
• 3 beat in 6 cups flour until completely blended and mixture is smooth. gradually stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding only enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking.
• 4 place dough in large greased bowl.; turn to coat. cover with damp towel. let rise in warm place, away from drafts, 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.
• 5 punch dough down; cover with damp towel; let rise 45 minutes, or until almost doubled in volume. punch dough down again. turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead a few times; invert bowl over dough; let rest about 10 minutes.
• 6 grease two 13x9x2 inch baking pans.
• 7 divide dough into quarters, keeping dough covered with inverted bowl until ready to roll and shape.
• 8 roll one-quarter of dough on lightly-floured surface to an 11x6 inch rectangle. cut rectangle into fourteen 6x3/4 inch strips. roll each strip with palms of hands into a 6 inch rope. place fingertip on one end of rope and loosely bring other end around, spiral fashion; pinch to seal. repeat with remaining dough. place spirals in prepared pans, dividing evenly. cover with a damp towel. let rise in warm place, away from drafts, 30 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
• 9 preheat oven to a moderate 375 degrees.
• 10 beat egg lightly in a small bowl; brush over rolls. sprinkle with the chopped sliced almonds.
• 11 bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. serve warm.