Expanding the Magic...with Disney Parks Recipes

One of the ways our family likes to get our Disney fix is by doing things that remind us of our past Walt Disney World vacations. We view our vacation videos over and over. We add to our vacation scrapbook each time we take a trip. And we try to replicate our favorite Disney Parks foods. We've had pretty good success with Tonga Toast from the Polynesian, Chocolate Mousse from Epcot/France, and Cheddar Cheese Soup from Epcot/Canada. (I did NOT have success with the Pumpkin Beignets recipe from Club 33.) Ocassionally, Disney is kind enough to share one of their signature recipes. Often, you can find a copycat recipe that a talented fan has posted on the Internet (they're never quite as good as the real thing).  Here's a favorite of mine--but I'm not sure if I'm quite up to the task of tackling it just yet:

School Bread/Norway/Epcot

Ingredients:

2 pints water

3 oz. dry yeast

3 1/2 oz. sugar

2 1/2 oz. melted butter

1 tsp. cardamom

2 lbs. flour

1 whole egg

8 oz. shredded coconut

12 oz. vanilla custard

Heat water and butter to 95 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, cardamom, yeast, and egg together for five minutes until dough is stiff. Form it into a ball and place in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and let it set until dough has doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Roll the dough into a long snake-like shape and cut into five ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and put on a non-stick pan; let them set for 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool.

Mix powdered sugar and water until desired icing consistency is achieved. Form hole in bread using finger. Dip bread in icing (hole side down) and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Using pastry bag, squeeze vanilla custard inside of hole and swirl at top for decoration.

If you're really industrious and want to make your own custard, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

1 TBSP corn starch

In heavy saucepan bring milk to a boil. Set aside. In another bowl beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture doubles by volume. Add hot milk a few drops at a time to temper the eggs. Mix well after each addition. Place in metal mixing bowl and place over double boiler. Dissolve cornstarch in a little water and add in a thin stream while stirring constantly until it thickens to proper consistency. It must not boil. Cool by placing pan in ice bath.