Mother’s Christmas Bread
7 cups bread or unbleached all-purpose flour (7
to 7 1/2 cups)
2 packages Fleischmann’s® Active Dry or Rapid Rise
Yeast
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon warm milk (105ş to
115şF)
1/2 cup warm water (105ş to 115şF)
1 cup chopped dates or pitted dates — snipped
1 cup halved red candied cherries
1 cup finely diced mixed candied fruit
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (1/2 pound) — at room temperature
Whole walnuts or pecans and cherry halves — to decorate
In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour and undissolved yeast. Stir in 1 1/2
cups milk and water; blend well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let rise at
room temperature for 2 hours.
Combine dates, cherries, candied fruit and chopped walnuts; set aside.
Stir 1 egg, sugar, salt and butter into yeast mixture. Stir in enough
remaining flour to make soft dough. On floured surface knead dough until
smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Knead in fruit mixture. Place
in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm,
draft-free place until doubled in size, about 60 to 90 minutes. (With
Rapid Rise Yeast, cover kneaded dough. Let rest on floured surface 10
minutes. Proceed with recipe.)
Punch dough down; divide into either 2 or 4 equal pieces. Roll to two 8- ×
12-inch or four 7- × 11-inch rectangles. Roll up from short ends as for
jelly roll; pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in
either two 9- × 5-inch or four 7- × 3-inch greased loaf pans. Cover; let
rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60
minutes.
Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon milk; brush on loaves. Decorate with
whole walnuts and cherry halves.
Bake at 350şF for 50 to 60 minutes or until done, covering with foil after
40 minutes to prevent excess browning. Makes two large or four small
loaves.
Yield:
“4 loaves”
Per serving: 241 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; (33% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 29mg Cholesterol; 143mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates
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