Date-Filled Coffee Cake

Dough:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 c butter or margarine
1/2 c warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
4 1/2 cups unsifted flour
Filling:
2 c chopped dates
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/3 c water
1 c chopped nuts
2 T lemon juice
1 egg yolk
2 T milk
1/3 c unsifted flour
2 T butter or margarine
2 T sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

To make dough: Scald milk. Stir in sugar, salt, and butter. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into large (warmed) bowl. Stir in yeast until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture, beaten eggs, and half the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to make a slightly stiff dough.

Turn out dough onto floured board. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While dough is rising, combine dates, sugar, water, nuts and lemon juice in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling until mixture is thick, about 8 minutes.

Punch down dough and turn out on lightly floured board. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 16x8" oblong. Place each oblong onto greased baking sheet. Spread half the date filling down center third of each oblong.

Cut 15 slits in dough along each side of filling about 1" wide. Fold strips at an angle across filling, alternating side to side. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Combine egg yolk and milk. Brush cakes with mixture. Combine flour, margarine, 2 T sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of mixture on each cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Serving Size: Makes 2 large loaves

Number of Servings: 30

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BLUEWARBLER.