1/3 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2-3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 ounces candied citron peel
1 lemon, juice and zest
3/4 cup ground almonds
2 cups light raisins or 2 cups dark raisins, soaked in warm water and drained
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
Mix together the yeast, milk and 2 tbl sugar in a small bowl and let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl or stand mixer, place 2 1/2 c flour, yeast mixture, cardamom, confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Combine to make a soft dough. Add the citron, lemon juice and zest, ground almonds and raisins, mixing well. Knead for 10-15 minutes by hand or 5-7 minutes by machine. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour if necessary, so that the dough is not sticky. Form dough into a large bowl and let it rise, covered, until doubled. (Doughs rich in butter can take longer to rise, so be patient). Punch down and knead for two minutes on a lightly floured surface. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Form 10-12 balls from the dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the dough balls with the egg wash and bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.