• 1 envelope yeast
• sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, softened and cut into pieces
• 6 ounce almond paste
• 2 egg whites
• 3 1/2 ounce can blanched almonds, ground in the blender
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 2-3 tbsp cream
• 3-4 tbsp sliced almonds
• unsalted butter

1. Sprinkle yeast and a pinch of sugar over 1/4 cup warm (105-110 ° F) water and stir. Let the yeast stand until dissolved, about 10 - 15 minutes.
2. Heat milk until luke-warm.
3. Put 3 cups flour, salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 3 of the eggs, and butter in a large bowl. Then combine the yeast and the warm milk, add the mixture to the bowl, and mix to form a soft dough. Turn it out onto a floured board or marble surface and knead in about 1 cup flour, a little at a time. Knead for about 10-15 minutes, until dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the board.
4. Butter a bowl lightly and put in the dough. Turn it over once so that the top is buttered lightly. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
5. Mix the almond paste, egg whites, ground almonds and almond extract. Form into a rough square, put it between 2 sheets of wax paper, and roll it out to a 14” square. Set aside.
6. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. Cut off 1/5 of the dough and roll out remaining dough to a 14” square.
7. Peel off the top sheet of wax paper from the almond mixture and flip the paste over onto the brioche dough. Peel off the paper and roll up the pastry; then bring the ends together to form a ring.
8. Put seam side down in a buttered 2-quart brioche pan. Form the reserved dough into a teardrop shape and poke it into the center of the dough ring. Cover and let it rise for 2 hours, until it reaches over the top of the pan.
9. Beat the cream with the remaining egg and brush the top of the dough. Sprinkle it with sliced almonds. Bake the brioche in the lower part of a 325 ° oven for 50-55 minutes, until it is golden brown.
10. Let the brioche stand for 10 minutes, turn it out of the pan, and cool slightly on a rack.
11. Cut into wedges and serve warm with unsalted butter.

Make 6 servings of Almond Brioche.