Swedish Tea Ring - Vegan

I knew I was working a little more than necessary but the last straw came last week when the Doc decided that I should no more exert my back unless I am interested in forever touching my toes!! I have been advised rest, and am doing just that in the best possible place - at my Parents' home:). Needless to say, I shall not be around for sometime but I just had to leave this bread for you people to tease you all to try the vegan version of a swedish tea ring. I have been making this for sometime now but I found the earlier filling of almond meal, and candied fruit a trifle too sweet for my liking, then I saw this amazingly simple yet 'perfect for my tastebuds filling' at Tartlette's, and I knew it just had to make it once more. My earlier rings never got posted as I just wasn't 100% satisfied with the appearance, the vegan conversions - the overall bread in general. This one has been given the thumbs up by all and sundry who had a bite, and I knew it was the perfect 'sweet touch' for the 'au revoir'. Not a long break - I shall be here and there on a sporadic basis:)

A swedish tea ring is a light, sweet flavored bread ideal for an impressive breakfast or evening tea. It is easy to shape if you have the slightest bit of patience, doesn't make a huge demand on your time, and the aroma exuded as the baking takes place is to die for - well....maybe I am a little partial to the flavor of cinnamon:). I have veganised the basic recipe borrowed from Classic Essential Bread and Buns, by replacing the lightly beaten eggs with 'mori-nu firm tofu'. Earlier I have tried this using flax seeds, and also soymilk instead of eggs but this one was the best. Since I have stopped eggs only in March, I have not forgotten the flaky and light texture it gives to breads, and I can vouch that this version is by far the best - if you have better vegan recipes for the swedish tea ring do leave a comment, if not just try this one and I am sure you will not be disappointed at all! You may use a traditional icing to top the bread as it gives it a nice look, but I prefer the less sweet sugar glazed ring - may not look as pretty but definitely makes it more desirable for those who like their breads just sweetened and not sugary sweet!

Here's the recipe for the vegan Swedish Tea Ring as adapted from Classic Essential Bread and Buns from the Confident Cooking Series.
Extra tool:
A sharp knife or kitchen scissors

Ingredients:
(If you would like the egg version you could check up these two versions I love
Tartlette's Swedish Walnut Tea Ring, and the one at Happy Home Bakers - could not find the link but I remember she did make a beautiful one!)
21/4tsps - Dry yeast
2tbsps - warm water
60g - softened vegan butter
2tbsps - caster sugar
1/2 tsp. - salt (I used salted nutralite butter and omitted the extra salt)
2 and 1/2 cups APF + 1/2 cups extra
2 heaped tbsps - morinu firm tofu beaten till silky smooth with 1/4 cup thick almond milk
2/3 cup - thick vegan milk - I used freshly extracted thick almond milk


Filling
Stingy me used only a tbspl. of vegan butter spread whereas the recipe calls for 30g.
1 tbsp. - caster sugar (I substituted this with 2 dried figs and some dried raisins)
1/2 cup - roughly chopped pine nuts (chilgoza)
1 and 1/2 tbsp - cinnamon powdered fine
2 dried figs - chopped fine
A few dried raisins - chopped
(Powder everything except the butter to a coarse meal)
Variations for fillings - You may use almond meal/walnut meal, mixed fruit, glace' cherries and caster sugar etc., and add your favourite flavoring)
Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk (I used a sugar and almond milk glace, as I wasn't too sure whether the almond milk would give the same effect as milk)
a drop of vanilla essence

Method:
Brush an oven tray with butter. Dissolve yeast in warm water and leave till frothy.

Heat milk, butter, sugar and salt(If using) till warm.

Sift 2 cups of flour in a large bowl. Add the yeast and milk mixtures and beaten tofu mixture.

Mix till you form a rough dough. If needed add extra flour. Tip onto a floured working space and knead for 10 minutes at least to form a smooth, soft dough.

Place in a greased bowl and let rise for about 1 and 1/2 hour or till almost doubled.

Punch dough and knead again till smooth.

Roll the dough into a rectangle - mine was about 12 x 16 inches. Spread the butter all over the dough leaving 2 cm of border.

Spread the filling all over evenly. Roll like a swiss roll. Join the ends of the cylinder with a little milk and form a ring.

Snip with scissors at every inch (Not less, as it becomes difficult to twist) from outside to 2/3rds of the width. Turn the cut pieces and flatten very slightly. cover and leave to rise for at an hour. I refrigerated the shaped dough in a double cling film wrap and took it out the next morning to let it thaw and rise - it took me three hours!

Brush with milk or water. Bake at 200 deg. Cel. for at least 25minutes to 1/2 hour till cooked and brown. If it browns fast bake at 180 deg. covered with a foil.


Remove, glaze or ice, cool, snap, cut and serve.

Verdict - We loved the sharp flavor of cinnamon, the delicate taste of pine nuts and just there sweetness. The audience had their eyes wide open, and these pieces disappeared fast to the cook's delight.


I am sending this to Sugar High Friday started by Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess here, and guest hosted by Anita of Dessert First. Also sending this to FIC brown for October, hosted by me - Sunshinemom.

See you all in 2 or 3 weeks:)