Almond Sugar Twist

Steps

1. Scald milk in a small saucepan; stir in 1/4 cup of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Sprinkle yeast into very warm water in a large bowl. ("Very warm" water should feel comfortable warm when dripped on wrist.) Stir until yeast dissolves, then stir in cooled milk mixture.
3. Beat eggs in a small bowl; save 1 tablespoonful for step 7; beat remaining into yeast mixture. Stir in 2 cups of the flour until smooth; beat vigorously 100 strokes, then beat in remaining flour.
4. Place in a greased large bowl; cover with a clean towel. Let rise in a warm place, away from draft, 1 1/4 hours or until double in bulk.
5. Mix almond paste with remaining 1/4 cup butter or margarine, 3 TBSP of remaining sugar, and 2 TBSP of the cold water.
6. Punch dough down; knead until smooth and elastic on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board. Roll out to a rectangle, 20x10; spread with almond filling almost to edges. Starting at one long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Place one end in the center of greased large cookie sheet and then copil roll loosely round and round to make a "snail"; tuck end under. Cover; let rise again 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
7. Stir remaining 1 TBSP water into saved beaten egg; brush over "snail;" sprinkle with sliced almonds and remaining 1 TBSP sugar.
8. Bake in moderate oven (375°F) 30 minutes, or until golden and loaf gives a hollow sound when tapped. Remove from the cookie sheet; cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.