Cinnamon Almond Ring Coffee Cake

I love this coffee cake, lovely to have for a weekend brunch -

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 2 coffee cakes

Ingredients

• FILLING

• 1 (7 ounce) package almond paste
• 6  tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2  tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4  ounces cream cheese

• DOUGH

• 1 1⁄3 cups  warm milk
• 1⁄3 cup honey
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3  large  egg yolks (reserve whites for topping)
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons active dry yeast (1 package)
• 2  teaspoons salt

• TOPPING

• 3  large  egg whites
• 1⁄2 cup  sliced almonds
• 1 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2  ounces cream cheese
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. FOR THE FILLING: fit standing mixer with paddle attachment and mix almond paste, confectioners sugar, dark brown sugar, cinnamon and cream cheese until smooth. cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. FOR THE DOUGH: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle postitions and heat over 200°F When oven reaches 200F shut oven off. Lightly grease large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
3. Mix milk, honey, melted butter, yolks, and vanilla in large measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn mixer to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes togehter, increase speed to medium and mix until shiny and smooth, 4-6 minutes. (Dough will be sticky). Turn dough onto heavily floured work surface, shape into ball, and transfer to a greased bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until dough is nearly doubled, about 20 minutes.
4. On lightly floured surface, divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll dough into an 18x9-inch rectangle with long side facing you. Spread with half the filling; using both hands, carefully roll the dough into an even cylinder and moisten the top 1/2-inch of the dough to seal. Press to seal and transfer, seam side down to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Shape each cylinder into a ring. Using paring knife, make cuts around the outside of dough. spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Rotate each piece of dough cut side up.
5. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and return to oven until rings have puffed slightly, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and heat oven to 375°F.
6. FOR THE TOPPNG: Whisk reserved egg whites in small bowl, then brush rings with with egg whites. Sprinkle with almonds and bake until deep brown, about 25 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking.
7. While rings are baking or cooling, whisk confectioners sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle icing over baked coffee cakes and serve warm.
8. COFFEE CAKE IN THE FREEZER: This recipe makes two coffee cakes, which can be baked together or separately, with the second ring frozen for later use.
9. To freeze one coffee cake: Transfer shaped ring ot large plate and wrap in two layers of plastic wrap and then foil. (Unbaked ring can be frozen for up to 1 month). The night before baking, transfer frozen ring to refrigerator. The next day, unwrap ring and transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been grease with cooking spray. Then proceed to letting dough rise in the oven that has been heated to 200F and then turned off. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with almonds bake (on middle rack) cook and ice as directed.