Almond, raspberry braid makes fine brunch fare

The braided effect of this almond bread is impressive, but the recipe can easily guide you through the process of making it. The taste is worth the effort: Almond paste and raspberries are a perfect pairing. Enjoy the braid at brunch, or slice and munch whenever hunger demands.

Almond Raspberry Braid

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup milk

1 packet active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar, plus 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 cups bread flour

2/3 cup raspberry preserves

7-ounce package almond paste

1 egg white, room temperature

Put the butter and milk in a small dish and melt in the microwave.

Sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar into the warm water and whisk until dissolved. Let stand for 10 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and has close to doubled in volume.

In the food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, add butter-milk mixture, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, salt, lemon peel and cardamom. Pulse a few times to mix well.

Add the flour and the yeast mixture a bit at a time, pulsing. The dough is mixed when it pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a ball. If the dough is too sticky and refuses to form a ball, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it responds.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead about 4 minutes or until dough feels soft and elastic.

Oil a bowl big enough to allow the dough to double in size. Form the dough into a ball and place in the bowl, turning the dough once so that the top also is coated with oil. Cover the bowl with wax paper and a towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease it.

Punch down the dough. Flour your work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about 10 inches by 14 inches. Transfer to the cookie sheet. With the back of a knife, mark the dough into three long lanes of equal size.

To make the strips that will be braided, cut the two outer lanes into angled strips a little more than 1 inch wide. (Scissors are easier than a knife for cutting the strips.)

Spread the raspberry preserves down the center lane. Slice the almond paste into thin "coins" and lay over the preserves. Braid the strips, giving a gentle pull to keep the braid neat: Begin braid by folding one end over itself about 1/3 inch, to keep the preserves from leaking out. Next fold the left strip over the center lane to cover the middle; take the opposite right strip to fold over the first strip. Repeat the strips, folding left to right down to the end, tucking the last two strips across each other and under, to end.

Let your braid rest for another 30 minutes to rise.

Preheat oven to 350 F, with rack in middle.

Beat 1 room-temperature egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush onto the braid.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and braid sounds hollow when tapped.