Christmas Mixed Glace Fruit Loaf Food

CHOP SUEY BREAD

Steps:

• To scald the milk: In a small saucepan, heat milk to 180F (if you don't have a thermometer, heat it until it starts to steam and forms small bubbles around the outside of the pan. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• In a small bowl, stir together the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar. Set aside to proof while you start the dough.
• In a large bowl with a mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the PADDLE attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar. Test your milk to make sure it cooled to lukewarm, then add to the bowl, together with the 1/2 cup water. Add the proofed yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of the flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and salt and stir until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, combine the glace mix, raisins and walnuts. Toss in 1 1/2 Tbsp of flour and set aside.
• Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the kneading hook (or stop using an electric mixer and proceed with a large wooden spoon, then knead). Add 1 cup more flour and knead in to the mixture. Add another 1/3-1/2 cup of flour and knead in. Add the fruit mixture to the dough, together with about 1/4 cup of flour and mix until combined. Remove dough to a floured counter. Continue adding flour in small increments, kneading in, until you have a moist, but not sticky dough.
• Remove dough to a greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until almost doubled, about 2 hours.
• Remove dough to a floured surface and divide into two equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle about 8-inches wide x 12-14 inches long. Starting from the 8-inch side, roll the dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch the seams together and place into a greased 8 1/2 x 4-inch loaf pan with the seam side down. Repeat with the other piece of dough into a second greased loaf pan.
• Brush the tops of the dough with a little vegetable oil (or spray with cooking spray) and cover pans with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350F. (not fan assisted).
• When loaves are ready, place into preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the centre of the loaf registers about 195F. (If top of loaf looks like it may over-brown, loosely cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last part of baking).
• Remove loaf from pans to cool completely on a cooling rack.
• For the icing: Add icing sugar to a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp of milk and stir to combine. Continue adding milk in very small increments, until you have an icing that is not so thick that it's spreadable, but just thin enough to drop off a spoon in a stream. Spoon icing down the centre of the loaf, gently coaxing it towards the edges slightly, so that it move across the top and down the sides a bit. Allow to set-up before slicing bread. (Once set, you can freeze without messing it up).

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.

CHRISTMAS MIXED GLACE FRUIT LOAF

Steps:

• Grease a loaf pan, line base and sides with parchment paper, then grease paper. Cream butter and sugar in a small bowl with electric mixer only until combined. Add eggs quickly, one at a time. Beat until combined. Transfer mixture into a large bowl. Stir in fruit, the half of the sifted flours with the combined milk and Sherry. Stir in remaining flour and milk mixture. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake in moderately slow oven for about 2 hours. Cover with foil, cool in pan.

STOLLEN

Steps:

• Prepare Fruit: Combine the mixed fruit, raisins, and rum. Cover and set aside. Shake or stir the mixture every so often to coat the fruit with the rum.
• Prepare Sponge: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the water to soften. Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and add it to the yeast along with the honey and 1 cup flour. Cover the sponge with plastic wrap and let rise until light and full of bubbles, about 30 minutes.
• By Hand: Add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• By Mixer: In the mixer bowl, add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Using the paddle, beat the mixture on medium low speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Change to the dough hook. Continue to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clean the bowl. Knead 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low.
• First rise: Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Shape and Fill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. For 1 large loaf, roll the dough into a 9 by 13-inch oval. For 2 loaves, divided the dough in half and roll each half into a 7 by 9-inch oval. Brush the melted butter over the top of the oval(s). Combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar and sprinkle over one lengthwise half of the oval(s). Fold the dough in half lengthwise and carefully lift the bread(s) onto a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet. Press lightly on the folded side to help the loaf keep its shape during rising and baking.
• Second rise: Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven: About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake and cool: Bake for 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees F. Immediately remove from the baking sheet and place on a rack to cool.
• To serve: Sprinkle heavily with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• Variation: Between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap, roll 3 ounces almond paste or marzipan into the lengthwise shape of half the oval. Omit the butter and cinnamon-sugar filling. Place the marzipan on half of the oval and fold the dough in half. Let rise and bake as directed.
• Notes: One cup coarsely chopped mixed dried fruits may be substituted for the candied fruit. Cover the dried fruit with boiling water and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and use as you would candied fruit. You can also make your own candied fruit and peel. This bread freezes nicely for up to 6 months. If freezing it, do not sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. To serve, first thaw the bread, then bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

FRUIT & NUT CHRISTMAS PUDDING LOAF

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit, cherries, apple, zests, apple juice, brandy and Cointreau in a large bowl. Microwave on High for 1 min, then leave to soak overnight.
• Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with a strip of non-stick baking paper. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the kettle on to boil and have a roasting tin, plus a sheet of buttered foil, ready.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until it turns a little paler, then stir in the eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, syrup, spices, salt, soaked fruit and the nuts. Spoon into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Scrunch the foil loosely over the tin, twisting corners to tighten it around the tin's edges. Sit it in the roasting tin, then pour in a few cms of boiling water. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 40 mins.
• After 40 mins, turn down the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for another 1½ hrs, topping up the water level every now and again.
• To reheat the pudding, either return it to a medium oven for 30 mins in its tin, or turn out onto a serving plate, cover loosely with cling film and microwave for 5 mins on Medium. For the topping, gently heat the butter, sugar and syrup together until the sugar dissolves, stir in the brandy, then tip in the nuts and fruit. Spoon over the hot pudding and dust with a little icing sugar, if you like.

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.