Spiced Fruit Pistachio Bread Wreath Food

SPICED FRUIT & PISTACHIO BREAD WREATH

Steps:

• First make the bread dough. Warm the milk in a saucepan until you can see steam coming from the surface, but don't let it boil. Add the butter and set aside. Tip the flour, yeast, sugar and ½ tsp salt into a large bowl. When the milk has cooled to hand temperature and the butter has melted, pour the liquid into the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon, then tip out onto your work surface and bring together with your hands. Knead the dough for 10 mins or until soft. Put it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a sheet of oiled cling film. Leave somewhere warm for about 2 hrs until doubled in size.
• Place the currants, mixed peel, cinnamon, mixed spice, zests and juice into a saucepan. Boil hard for a few mins until the fruit has absorbed the liquid and become nice and plump. Chill until cold, then mix with the pistachios, butter and sugar.
• When the dough is ready, tip out of the bowl and knead briefly to knock out the air bubbles. Roll out to a 45 x 28cm rectangle. Spread the buttery spiced fruit mixture over the surface of the dough. From one of the long edges, roll the dough to a tight cylinder, then bring the 2 ends to meet, creating a ring. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet with the join underneath.
• Using a sharp knife, cut incisions around the outside of the dough, about 3cm apart, in a sunburst pattern, going quite close to the centre, but not all the way through. Working your way around the outside, pull each piece of cut dough out a little, then push it down on one side, so that the cut edge is exposed and they're on a curve to create a fan shape around the edge of the wreath. When you're happy with the shape, re-cover with oiled cling film and leave to prove for about 45 mins until doubled in size. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Uncover the bread and brush all over with beaten egg. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden and hollow sounding when tapped on the base. Mix a little icing sugar with enough water to make a smooth runny icing. Whilst the bread is still warm, brush the icing over the surface with a pastry brush to make a sugary crust. Best eaten within 3 days.

PISTACHIO QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cake and dry pudding mixes. Add the eggs, sour cream, water and oil; beat until blended (batter will be thick). , Combine sugar and cinnamon. Spoon half of the batter into 2 greased 8x4-in. loaf pans; sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar. Spread with remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

PISTACHIO WREATHS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat well.
• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well mixed.
• Divide the dough in half and stir food coloring into one half. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll about 1/2 tablespoon of plain dough into a 6-inch rope. Repeat with green dough.
• Place ropes side by side and twist together about 6 times. Form twisted ropes into a circle and gently pinch ends together.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Place small amount of chopped pistachios onto each wreath where ends are pinched together.
• Bake for about 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for about 1 minute. Remove and cool thoroughly on rack.