Valentine Twist Bread

• Dough:
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 envelopes Fleischmann's(R) RapidRise Yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• Cinnamon-Nut Topping:
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• Almond Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt in a mixing bowl. Heat milk, water and shortening until very warm (120u0b0 to 130u0b0F). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
2. Roll dough to 12 x 9-inch rectangle; spread with softened butter. Combine sugars, cinnamon, almond extract and pecans; sprinkle evenly over dough. Cut into 1-inch strips; reserve 2 strips. From remaining strips, take 2 at time and twist together. Arrange twists in heavily greased 12-inch heart pan. Place reserved strips around edge of pan on top of twists. Join ends together; pinch to seal. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
3. Bake at 375u0b0F for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; complete cooling on wire rack. Combine Almond Glaze ingredients; drizzle over bread.
4. Instead of a 12-inch heart pan, use two 9-inch heart pans. Or form two long strips into a heart and place on well greased baking sheet.

flour, sugar, rapidrise, salt, milk, water, shortening, eggs, cinnamonnut topping, butter, sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, almond, pecans, powdered sugar, milk, almond, vanilla

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/valentine-twist-bread (may not work)