Christmas Fruit Bread Food

CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the evaporated milk, sugar, shortening, salt, eggs and 2 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Stir in mixed candied fruit and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (do not knead). , Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 3-4 minutes. Pat evenly into a greased 10-in. tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. , Combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over bread. Garnish with additional candied fruit if desired.

AUNT JUDY'S CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Mix water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar together in a small bowl until yeast is raised and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cream butter and 1 cup sugar together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Pour in warm milk and add yeast mixture, eggs, and salt; mix together. Mix in flour until just incorporated; do not knead dough.
• Move dough to a large bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and let rise for another 45 minutes.
• While dough is rising, heat milk for pastry filling in a medium saucepan until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour gradually. Beat egg yolk in a separate bowl and add a little of the warm milk mixture to temper it; whisk yolk mixture into milk mixture. Mix in sugar and salt. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
• Let cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Cover the top with plastic wrap, touching the filling, to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make almond filling by mixing butter, sugar, and almond extract together in a bowl until blended. Set aside.
• Make nut crumb filling by crumbling flour, sugar, walnuts, and butter together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Divide the dough and fillings in 1/2 for 2 loaves. Set aside a small amount of nut filling to sprinkle on top of loaves.
• Roll out 1/2 of the dough onto 1 of the prepared pans into a rectangle that fills the pan. Spread cream filling lengthwise down the middle 1/3 of the dough, leaving about 1 inch free on each short end. Sprinkle almond filling on top of cream, followed by nut crumb filling.
• Make diagonal cuts into the dough on either side of the filling down each side, about 2 inches apart; don't cut too close to filling or it will leak out. Fold dough strips across the top of the filling, alternating each side, to make a braid. Tuck the 2 short ends into the braid to prevent leaking. Brush with reserved egg white and sprinkle with 1/2 of the reserved nut crumb filling. Repeat for second loaf.
• Bake loaves in the preheated oven until golden, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN CHRISTMAS FRUIT BREAD - KLETZENBROT

Steps:

• Place the dried pears, figs, prunes, raisins or sultanas, candied orange and lemon peel, and the spices into a medium saucepan with a cup of water, the sugar, and the kirsch or rum. Bring just to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Immediately remove from heat and cover; set aside to steep.
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in a half cup of the lukewarm steeping liquid, and let sit until bubbling (about 5 minutes).
• Gradually stir the flour into the yeast mixture, adding a little more liquid or flour if necessary to make a firm dough. Wrap the dough with a clean tea towel, and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
• Gradually add the nuts, candied orange and lemon peel, and the dried fruit and knead well into the dough. Form the dough into a loaf. Leave to rise for an hour again.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter the baking sheet (or line with parchment paper), and bake the loaf for about an hour (50 to 60 minutes).
• Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing bread to rack. Allow to cool completely.
• Wrap bread in cling wrap and then in foil, and place in a cool spot or the refrigerator to mellow for up to several weeks.
• Allow bread to come to room temperature before serving. Serve sliced with or without fresh butter, as desired. Good with a cuppa. Frohes Fest!

CHRISTMAS FRUIT BREAD

Steps:

• cream butter and brown sugar together.beat in eggs, stir in mashed bananas, apples and orange zest --
• in separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to banana mixture.add cranberries.stir just till blended.
• bake in a greased 9x5" loaf pan.at 350* for 40 minutes or tests done when a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• turn the pan on its side and cool 10 minutes.
• remove from the pan and continue cooling on rack.
• wrap in plastic wrap and serve the next day.

SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS FRUIT BREAD (JULEKAGE) RECIPE

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in large mixer bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, egg, shortening, raisins, citron and 2 cups of the flour.
• Beat on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds.
• Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Punch dough down; shape into round loaf. Place in greased 9-inch round layer pan. Brush top lightly with butter; let rise until double, about 45 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until loaf is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Brush with butter. Spread with Glaze. Cool on wire rack.
• Glaze:.
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar.
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and water until smooth and of desired consistency.

CANDIED FRUIT BREAD

Steps:

• Grease an 8x5-inch loaf tin thoroughly. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Add milk and melted butter; mix well.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, prepared fruits and nuts, and mix well. Add egg mixture to fruit and nut mixture, stirring just enough to blend. Pour batter into the greased loaf tin. Let stand for 20 minutes.
• Place pan in center of oven on middle rack. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Turn out on wire rack, and allow to cool for several hours before slicing.

FRUIT-FILLED CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine yeast with warm water, soften for about 5 minutes. In a 1- to 1 1/2 -quart pan, combine butter and milk; warm over medium heat until milk is 110 degrees. Butter does not need to melt. (Or heat butter and milk in a microwave-safe bowl, uncovered, in a microwave until mixture is 110 degrees.)
• Add milk mixture, whole eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon peel, cardamom, salt and 3 cups flour to yeast. Beat at medium speed until dough is stretchy and shiny, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour.
• With a dough hook attachment, beat at high speed until dough pulls cleanly from sides of bowl, 5 to 8 minutes. If dough still sticks, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough pulls free. (Or scrape dough onto a lightly floured board and knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.)
• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees and make filling. Place slivered almonds in a 9-inch pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Soak 1 cup golden raisins in orange juice and brandy or vanilla until plump, about 30 minutes.
• In a food processor, finely chop raisin mixture, almonds, chopped apple, dried apricots, cinnamon and grated orange peel.
• When dough is ready, punch dough down. On a floured surface, roll into a 10-by-36-inch rectangle. Spread fruit filling over dough to within 1/2 inch of long sides. Roll from a long side, jelly roll-style. Cut into three equal-sized loafs. Pinch and smooth ends of loaf to prevent filling from falling out.
• Place seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 25 minutes. Mix egg yolk and water. Brush over tree.
• Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown, 40 to 45 minute. If necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.
• Remove from oven and cool. Mix powdered sugar with orange juice until smooth.
• Spoon glaze over bread. Slice when warm or cool and wrap in plastic.
• Makes 3 loaves.
• Christmas tree variation: Before rolling out dough, set aside 1/3 cup. Roll and fill remaining dough as directed. Take the long piece of dough, seam-side down, and zig-zag it into a stacked "S" shape to make a tree that is narrow at top and broad at base. Form reserved 1/3 cup dough into a ball and attach it to the base of tree as the trunk. Continue to rise and bake as directed above. Makes 1 large loaf.

CAROLYN'S HOLIDAY FRUIT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 8x4 inch loaf pan.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together in a large bowl. Stir in the oats. Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs until well blended. Mix in the applesauce, walnuts, and raisins. Stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Take care not to overbake. Cool 5 minutes in pan before turning out on a rack to cool completely.

EGGNOG FRUIT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and oil. Beat in the sugar, extracts and eggnog. Combine 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to egg mixture. Toss the fruit with remaining flour; stir into batter. Fold in walnuts. , Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.