Bread Machine Apricot Cream Cheese Ring Food

ITALIAN CHEESE BREAD RING

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, salt and yeast, stir until blended.
• In a small pan heat milk, water and butter until very warm, about 120°F.
• Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture.
• Stir until moistened and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
• By hand stir in remaining flour (2 to 2 3/4 cups) to form a stiff batter.
• Generously grease a 12 cup bunt pan (or 10 inch tube pan) and sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds.
• In a bowl combine all filling ingredients and mix well.
• Spoon half the batter evenly into greased pan, spoon filling mixture evenly over batter staying 1/2 inch away from sides of pan.
• Spoon remaining batter evenly into pan over filling.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set in warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Do not punch or stir down dough.
• Remove plastic and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 or 40 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack.
• Prep time does not include rising time.

MELTING CHEESE WITH POPPY & APRICOT BREAD WREATH

Steps:

• Tip the bread mix into a food processor, add the walnuts and whizz until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the apricots and most of the poppy seeds. Warm the milk to hand temperature, then stir into the flour mix with a wooden spoon. Knead in the bowl until smooth. Cover with oiled cling film and leave somewhere warm-ish to rise for 1 hr.
• Find a heatproof dish the same size or a bit bigger than your cheese box. Sit it in the middle of a big baking tray.
• Shape the risen dough into a long, thin log that will wrap around the dish on the sheet, like a wreath. Press the ends together, loosely cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for 20-30 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush the egg all over the loaf, then sprinkle with the remaining poppy seeds. Using kitchen scissors, randomly snip into the dough, to give a spiky finish. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden and crusty, and the bottom sounds hollow when you tap it. Remove the dish from the middle.
• To serve, unwrap the cheese and put it back into the box. Stab a few times, add the wine and tie kitchen string around the box to secure it in case the glue comes undone. Sit the cheese in the middle of the bread, without its lid, and bake for 10-15 mins until molten. Serve straight away and, if you like, pop another cheese in the oven so you can finish off the bread when the first cheese box is wiped clean.

APRICOT YEAST BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available.
• Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).

CREAM CHEESE YEAST BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Place the ingredients in the pan in the order as suggested by your bread machine manufacturer.
• Process on dough cycle.
• Remove from machine, form into a loaf and place in greased 9x5 loaf pan.
• Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Bake in a 350° oven for approximately 35 minutes.