Holiday Coffee - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 packages rapid-rise yeast
sugar
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
5 3/4 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

Preparation

Make dough: Sprinkle yeast and a pinch of sugar over warm water in measuring cup.
Stir.
Let stand just until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and cardamom in large bowl.
With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.
Whisk together lukewarm milk, 2 eggs and egg yolk in medium bowl until blended: whisk in other ingredients and knead.
Let rise.
Press one piece of dough into a 16 X 9 inch rectangle onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cut twelve 1-inch strips of dough along each side of filling.
Gently stretch strips across filling; alternating side to side and pressing gently. Roll two 16-inch-long ropes of dough.
Join one end of ropes and twist together: arrange down center of loaf.