Schnitzbrodt German Fruit Bread Food

SCHNITZBROT (GERMAN CHRISTMAS BREAD)

Steps:

• Grease a large bowl. Lightly grease three 5 x 9-inch loaf pans.
• Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast until dissolved. Allow to rest until the mixture becomes creamy, about 15 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of white sugar and 3 cups of flour until evenly blended.
• Pour the prune juice into a pan, and stir in the condensed mincemeat. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook 1 minute at a rolling boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the prunes, butter, raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, and salt. Combine the prune mixture with the yeast mixture in the mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until well blended to make a moist dough. Turn out onto a floured board, and knead in any remaining flour to make 9 cups. Gather dough into a ball and place into greased bowl. Cover with a cloth, and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough, knead lightly on a floured board, and return to the bowl. Allow to rise again, about 1 hour.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board. Punch down and shape into 3 loaves. Place each loaf into a prepared loaf pan. Lightly grease tops of each loaf with1 teaspoon butter. Cover with a clean cloth, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Lower heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), and bake 1/2 hour more. Remove from pans, and cool on racks.

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!

FRUIT BREAD

Steps:

• Weigh out all the Ingriedients, you have to make sure it is exact or the bread could go wrong.
• Mix the flour, mixed fruit and salt together. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. ** with the mixed fruit I just measured this by eye as some people like loads of fruit and other just a small amount. I would say I out about 200-300g in mine. **
• Once the yeast is completely dissolved in warm water, slowly pour into the flour mix, and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon.
• As you gradually pour the water in the mix will start to stick together you may need a little less or more water. If the dough is too sticky stop adding water and add just a sprinkling of flour.
• Take the dough out and knead for 5-10mins it should be of an elasticity consistence and not too dry and not too wet. It should not stick to your work surface, if this happens keep kneading.
• Once kneaded place back in the bowl and cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place, for around 20mins. Whilst this is happening grease the tin of your choice with a small amount of oil or butter.
• Once risen take the dough out and knead again. Knocking all the air out. I chose a ringed tin for my bread so I cut the bread into small sections and rolled into balls and placed in the tin. You can use and shape tin you like or just a baking try is fine. Sprinkle rolled oats over the top
• Leave to rise for another 20mins to half an hour placing a tea towel over the top and spray it with water to keep a crust from forming on the bread while rising. After 20mins place in an oven preheated of 200c
• Leave the bread for 30mins then check on it, if it is still springy leave in for a further 10mins, after take out and tip the bread out of the tin, place back in the oven at 150c to cook underneath side.
• After 20mins check the bread tapping the bottom and if you get a hollow sound it's done. Turn the bread over and place the tea towel back on top spraying with water again, this keeps a crust on the bread. Once cooled you r ready to eat your bread