[Cooking] Holiday Spice Bread
Found this recipe on MPR. It is very tasty!
Holiday Spice Bread
• 2 tablespoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• ¾ cup warm milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 to 7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• red hots (whole and crushed) optional
• Vegetable oil for greasing the bowl and baking sheet
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk and sugar and let stand about 5 minutes, or until the surface becomes foamy.
Stir in the salt, butter, eggs, cardamom, extract and 3 cups of the flour and beat until very smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and knead for about 5 to 8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly-greased bowl and turn it to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise until double in volume, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and divide it into thirds. Using the palms of your hand, roll each of these thirds out into ropes about 20 inches long.
Braid the ropes together (insert red hots into folds of braids) and lift the braid onto a lightly greased baking sheet to form a wreath, pinching the ends together to seal them. Roll the trimmings into strands, then make curls to decorate the top of the braid. Let rise in a warm place about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake the braid in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes to 1 hour (20-30 min for mini loaf), or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool. Ice the loaf if desired.
Recipe: Icing (optional)
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• sprinkle of cardamom
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• crushed red hots
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, extract and spice. Drizzle over the cooled loaf then garnish with the almonds and crushed red hots.
Holiday Spice Bread
• 2 tablespoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• ¾ cup warm milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 to 7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• red hots (whole and crushed) optional
• Vegetable oil for greasing the bowl and baking sheet
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk and sugar and let stand about 5 minutes, or until the surface becomes foamy.
Stir in the salt, butter, eggs, cardamom, extract and 3 cups of the flour and beat until very smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and knead for about 5 to 8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly-greased bowl and turn it to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise until double in volume, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and divide it into thirds. Using the palms of your hand, roll each of these thirds out into ropes about 20 inches long.
Braid the ropes together (insert red hots into folds of braids) and lift the braid onto a lightly greased baking sheet to form a wreath, pinching the ends together to seal them. Roll the trimmings into strands, then make curls to decorate the top of the braid. Let rise in a warm place about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake the braid in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes to 1 hour (20-30 min for mini loaf), or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool. Ice the loaf if desired.
Recipe: Icing (optional)
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• sprinkle of cardamom
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• crushed red hots
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, extract and spice. Drizzle over the cooled loaf then garnish with the almonds and crushed red hots.