Ingredients

Procedure

  1. Twelve (12) hours before final mixing, gently mix sponge ingredients together with bench scraper or wooden spoon until mixture forms shaggy dough. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and leave at room temperature (75°F) for 12 hours. 3
  2. Macerate raisins for desired filling in warm water or orange juice (75°F) just to cover. Let stand for 12 hours. (Desired final macerated weight is approximately 72% raisins and 28% liquid.)

Final mixing:

  1. Break sponge into smaller pieces and place in bowl of spiral mixer. Add flours, milk, eggs, yeast, salt, sugar, vanilla and 90% of the water.
  2. Mix for 3 minutes on 1st speed, adding only enough of the remaining water to make a fairly stiff dough. (Amount of water needed depends on absorbency of flour.)
  3. Mix for 3 minutes on 2nd speed to develop gluten until a window begins to appear when the dough is stretched.
  4. Continue mixing on 2nd speed, quickly incorporating butter in small pieces. (Butter should be soft and pliable, but still cold. Dough will be smooth and shiny. Desired dough temperature is 75°F. Do not over mix.)
  5. Cover dough and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Shaping:

  1. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Place each piece on a separate lightly floured sheet pan, and roll out dough to cover pan evenly.
  2. Cover and chill until dough is very cold, but not frozen.
  3. Roll out again to 3/16-inch thickness with a sheeter or rolling pin.
  4. Cover and chill until dough is very cold but not yet frozen.
  5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Trim to 9 x 16 inches.

Filling: Cinnamon Raisin or Raisin Walnut Clovers

  1. Brush dough with egg wash. Combine cinnamon with sugar; mix well. Sprinkle evenly onto dough.
  2. Drain raisins, thoroughly. Scale out final weigh of macerated raisins. Divide and spread raisins evenly in two strips along each outside edge covering about 1/3 of dough on each side for the length of the dough.
  3. For Raisin Walnut Clovers, add an even layer of walnuts on top of each strip of raisins.

Filling: Cream Cheese and Raisin Clovers

  1. Scrape vanilla bean into milk and let stand. Beat cream cheese and sugar together on 1st speed. Add egg and vanilla extract. Strain milk and discard vanilla bean. Then, add milk alternately with flour to cream cheese mixture. Mix until smooth, but do not whip.
  2. Spread an even layer of cream cheese filling in two strips along both outside edges for the length of the dough covering about 1/3 of each side of the 9-inch width and leaving 1/2-inch of dough uncovered along edges. Drain raisins, thoroughly. Weigh out final amount of macerated raisins. Sprinkle raisins evenly on top, again leaving 1/2-inch of dough uncovered along edges.

To Shape Clovers:

  1. Roll each of the two sides of the dough toward the center by turning the 1/2-inch of uncovered edge over raisins; continue rolling evenly moving down the length of the dough.
  2. With sharp knife, cut rolled dough crosswise into 3/4-inch strips. Carefully, place each piece on a buttered or parchmentcovered sheet pan, turning one-half to form a figure 8. Arrange a second piece, turned to form a figure 8, across center of first piece to make a cloverleaf.
  3. Repeat with remaining pieces, placing them at least 2 inches apart.
  4. Bake at 350˚F for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  5. For Icing, mix sifted powdered sugar with water until it has a smooth consistency that drizzles easily.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

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