12 Days of Christmas {Goodies}: Swedish Tea Rings (Soy, Fish and Nut-Free, Can Be Milk-Free)

Welcome to the tenth day of

The 12 Days of Christmas {Goodies} link-up,

brought to you by Natural and Free and Glued to My Crafts! 

At the end of this post (and every post for the full extent of this link-up) you will get the chance to share your Christmas creations with us (details to follow).  And you'll want to share because we have some amazing giveaways  (among other things) planned! And we all know, there's nothing better than a holiday giveaway! :)

Thank you to all those who have submitted posts to our link-up!  Keep them coming and tell your friends!  Remember, there is no limit to how many Christmas-y posts you can link-up and each post you submit is a chance to win the $12 gift card to Starbucks (courtesy of Stacey at Glued To My Crafts).  We are also featuring our TOP Five Favorites on the 13th as well as having another giveaway, so stay tuned!

If I haven't stopped by to check out your submission, I'll be there ASAP! :)  I can't wait to see what you've shared!

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And now *clears throat and begins regally singing to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas*:

On the tenth day of  The Christmas {Goodies} link-up, Natural and Free gave to me:

10. Traditional Swedish Tea Rings!

9. Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies!

8. Delicious Peppermint Mocha!

7. Cranberry Apple Salad!

6. Cinnamon Sugar Apple Pie! 

5. Granny's Favorite Gingerbread!

4. Chocolate-Covered Pretzels!

3. Yummy Peppermint Fudge!

2. Cute and festive Pine Cones!

and

1. A recipe for Candied Pecans!

There is a little back story behind this recipe.  My mother-in-law is part Swedish, and at Christmas time, she likes to make Swedish dishes.  It is definitely a family tradition with her.  However, my mother-in-law is not a baker, so any year we have had a Swedish Tea Ring it was normally store bought.  This year, I decided I would try my hand at making one from scratch and this is the result...and I do plan on making this when we're able to celebrate Christmas with them, FYI, and hopefully my "wreath" looks a little better. :)

This recipe is a modified version of one found at A Busy Nest.  My version is soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), fish and nut-free, and can be milk-free (see variations).  It is a delicious recipe that makes 2 rings that can be enjoyed hot or cold, and that disappears FAST (I took them to a church function and they were literally gone in less than 15 minutes with people asking me for the recipe and telling others, "You've GOT to try Julie's Swedish Tea Ring!"  Made me blush.).  They are definitely worth the effort they take to make.

Swedish Tea Rings

For the dough:

2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (I recommend Red Star)

1/4 Cup warm water

1 Cup scalded milk

1 stick full-fat, salted butter, melted (see note in step 2)

1/2 Cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 eggs, beaten

4 3/4 Cups soy-free flour (all-purpose or white whole wheat works)

(I recommend King Arthur)

For the filling:

1 stick full-fat, salted butter, softened

1 Cup (packed) brown sugar

1 Cup white sugar

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the icing:

2 Cups powdered sugar

1 stick full-fat, salted butter, softened

Dash of salt

1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons milk, adding more to thin if needed

red and green sugar, for garnish

 

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2. Mix together milk, butter, 1/2 Cup white sugar and salt. (Note: To cool the milk after scalding it to the appropriate temperature, add the stick of butter to it and wait for the butter to melt before adding the sugar and salt to the mix.  The butter needs to be melted and the milk needs to be cooled, so doing this saves you time. :) )
3. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture along with the beaten eggs and mix well.
4. Gradually add the flour, beating the mixture until a smooth, but slightly sticky dough forms.
5. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size; about an hour (I use my oven set to the LOWEST temperature it can go which is in the 200 range).
6. Divide the dough in half.
7. Flour counter tops and roll each dough half into a large rectangular shape (I made mine about 12 x 18 inches each).
8. Spread half a stick of butter onto each rectangle.
9. Mix together the brown sugar,  1 Cup white sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
10. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly and equally over each dough rectangle.
11. Roll each dough rectangle up lengthwise (you'll have two 18 inch ropes).
12. Connect each end of the dough to make a circle, pinching together the edges to seal; transfer to baking sheets (greased or ungreased is your choice).
13. Using kitchen shears, snip each ring about every 1 to 2 inches, only cutting about 2/3 to 3/4 the way through.
14. Gently push each snipped part open to expose the inside slightly or twist each piece so that it lays on its side.
15. Let dough rise, uncovered, in a warm place  for 30 to 60 minutes (I recommend on top of your oven as you preheat it to 375^oF).
16. Bake at 375^oF for 13 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
17. While the tea rings are baking, beat together powdered sugar, butter and salt until smooth before adding the vanilla and milk and beating until the desired consistency is reached.
18. Once the tea rings are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before glazing them with the icing, evenly distributing the icing between the 2 tea rings.  (Note: If you like a more frosted look, allow them to cool completely before icing.)
19. Garnish with red and green sugar.

Makes 2 tea rings that make between 9 to 18 or so servings each.

Variations:

• Milk-Free: Use a dairy-free milk in place of the milk and a dairy-free butter for the butter (I recommend SoDelicious and/or Earth Balance).  Just make sure your substitutions fit all your allergen needs.
• Alternate Garnish: You can also garnish the tea rings with candied cherries and whole pecans or sliced almonds. (Note: This variation is not nut-free.)
• Filling Options: You can add up to 1 Cup raisins and/or chopped nuts (pecans or almonds) to each ring before rolling them up. (Note: This variation is not nut-free.)



  

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(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)