Christmas Saint Lucia Crown Recipe

Stir saffron into warm milk. Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in saffron-milk mixture, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat with spoon until smooth.

Stir in citron, almonds, lemon peel and enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 1/2 hours or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Grease 2 cookie sheets. Punch down dough. Cut off one-third of dough for top braid and reserve. Divide remaining dough into 3 equal parts; roll each part into rope, 25 inches long.

Place ropes close together on cookie sheet. Braid ropes loosely; shape into circle and pinch ends to seal.

Divide reserved dough into 3 equal parts; roll each part into rope, 16 inches long. Place ropes close together on second cookie sheet. Braid ropes loosely; shape into circle and pinch ends to seal. Cover both braids and let rise in warm place about 45 minutes or until double.

Heat oven to 375º. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle Powdered Sugar Glaze over both braids.

Make holes for 5 candles in small braid. Place small braid on large braid. Garnish with cherries. Insert candles.

POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE: Mix ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 172 Calories; 3g Fat (15.5% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 88mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.