Breads:

Holiday Bread

Comment on this recipe

This makes a nice Christmas gift.

Ingredients

1 package (1/4 ounce) dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup candied fruit, chopped fine
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons milk
Candied cherries, green and red

Instructions

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 2 cups flour, sugar, milk, egg, salt, butter and lemon peel. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often (1 to 2 minutes). By hand add candied fruit, raisins, almonds; stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, knead until smooth about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover, let rise in warm place until double in size (about 1 hour). Then punch dough down, shape into round loaf. Place in greased 9-inch round cake pan. Brush top of bread with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover, let rise until double in size. Bake at 350 degrees. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan immediately. Cool completely. In small bowl, stir powdered sugar and milk until right consistency. Spread on cool bread, garnish with candied cherries. Cut green cherries to make a leaf around the red cherries.

Mary Schrock
Seaton