Friendship in the form of Mandel Bread

Special guest for this post: our friend Lauren!

Brief history: Lauren and I became facebook official friends before our freshmen year then became real friends the first day of college. Since then, our friendship has grown stronger every year (aww). While visiting her in Chicago last week, Lauren suggested baking a family recipe.

So, what baked good does friendship call for you ask? M-A-N-D-E-L B-R-E-A-D. You can toss in just about anything you like. Ours reflects true friendship because Lauren threw in her beloved raisins (me = not a big fan) and I threw in my beloved chocolate chips (Lauren = not a big fan) but together they tasted TERRIFIC!!! (plus the happily agreed upon sliced almonds). Add anything you like, cherries, walnuts, reeses pieces...

Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in a mixer on high for 4 minutes, until the eggs are thickened and light in color. Beat in oil and vanilla.

Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir in the dry ingredients into the egg mix 1/2 cup at a time. Stir in almonds. Stir in raisins. Stir in chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.

The dough should be stiff enough to roll into a log between wet hands. If it is too sticky, refrigerate dough for up to a 1/2 hour.

Divide the dough in half. Wet your hands and form each half into a roll about 2 inches in diameter by 11 inches long. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 30 minutes until light brown. (logs will flatten somewhat during baking)

Remove baking sheet from oven. Raise temperature to 375 degrees.

While logs are still hot, carefully loosen with a metal spatula. Let cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then, using a sharp knife, cut each log into 1/2 inch slices and lay each slice flat on the baking sheet. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over slices.

Return the slices to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn over each slice, sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture, then bake for another 5 minutes. The mandel bread should be lightly toasted on both sides.

When cool store at room temperature in a tightly closed container.

adapted from Aunt Jorie


*Note, after returning home I received the very sad news that Lauren's grandfather passed away. I had the pleasure of getting to know Papa my sophomore year when Lauren, our friend Laura, and myself stayed with Nana and Papa during spring break in Florida. We had a wonderful time with them and they kindly treated us like their own granddaughters. Papa loved mandel bread so I dedicate this post to him. Love you Papa!

-Kayla