Orange-Glazed Coffee Cake

This recipe came in the mail from "Great American Home Baking" (they wanted me to subscribe). Years later, we tried it. We've been missing out for a long time! This was way good! It is light and sweet, really good warm and still yummy the next AM for breakfast. My kids wanted this for dinner, after having a few pieces each for breakfast. Next time I'm going to put the dough in muffin tins for a better serving option and then we'll have more glaze on each bite!

Cake
1 pkg active dry yeast (scant T)
1/4 C warm H2O
1/2 C warm milk
1/2 C fresh OJ (I used canned)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
1 T grated orange zest
1/2 t salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 1/2-4 C flour

Glaze
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Icing
1 C confectioners' sugar
1 1/2-2 T fresh OJ

Dissolve yeast in warm H2O and let stand until foamy. Mix in milk, OJ, sugar, ricotta, orange zest, salt, and egg. Mix in 2 C flour, then the rest 1/2 C at a time, until a stiff dough forms. Turn onto lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. (I just used my kitchenaid with dough attachment.) Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hrs.

Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Punch down the dough, turn onto lightly floured surface, and knead for 1-2 minutes. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces, and roll them into a 20-inch long rope (like a playdough snake). Braid the ropes together. Coil the braided dough into the pan, and tuck ends under. Cover loosely and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 and brush the dough with the glaze. Cook 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn cake out onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Spread icing over warm cake. Serve warm.

Overnight Orange French Toast

WAY good! It was even just as good a day later. I made a batch for J to take for his bday, and one for the boys and I -- we needed 2 batches just for our family, it was that good! I found the recipe online, it is from Bechtel Victorian Mansion Bed & Breakfast Inn. (www.bbonline.com and search recipes - they have lots of different ones!)

8 slices French or Italian bread
1/4 C butter/margarine
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t grated orange rind (I used 1/2 an orange)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 C orange juice

Melt butter/margarine in 9X13 pan. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange rind and sprinkle evenly over melted butter. Mix together eggs and OJ. Dip bread slices in liquid, and place in prepared pan. Pour any leftover liquid over bread slices. Sit, covered, overnight in the fridge (or you COULD just cook now...). Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
If you bake it too long, sugar will carmalize. Turn out of pan immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. (I just served it straight out of the pan) You don't need syrup, it is way good without it.

Enjoy!