Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 packages active dry yeast 5-5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/3 cup water 2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk, scalded ½ tsp vanilla
½ cup sugar ¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup shortening ½ cup mixed fruits and peels, chopped
1 ½ tsp salt 1 cup raisins
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Directions: |
Directions:Soften active dry yeast in 1/3 cup warm water. Combine scalded milk, sugar, shortening and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in about 1 ½ cups of the flour. Beat vigorously. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in the softened yeast, vanilla and nutmeg. Add the chopped fruits and peels, then enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Turn dough out on a well-floured surface. Knead till smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place dough in a lightly-greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 2 hours. Punch down! Divide dough in half. Cover the dough and let rest 10 minutes. Make half of dough into Baby Sugarplums*, half into Little Sugarplum Loaves**. ***Sugarplum Round Loaves
*Baby Sugarplums
Divide half of the dough into sixths. Shape each piece into 6 balls. Place in greased muffin pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double, 45-60 minutes. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until done. Drizzle the top of each with Confectioner’s Icing and trim each with a perfect walnut half.
**Little Sugarplum Loaves
Divide half of the dough into fourths. Shape each piece into a loaf. Place into four greased 4 ½” x 3” x 2” loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until done. Drizzle the tops with Confectioner’s Icing and trim each loaf with red and green candied cherries. (Half-red cherry in center with six slivers of green cherry/three on each side of center of red cherry.)
***Sugarplum Round Loaves
Prepare dough as directed for Sugarplum Bread, substituting 1 tsp grated lemon for the vanilla and nutmeg. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 2 hours. Punch and divide dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Shape dough into 2 balls. Place balls on greased baking sheets and pat tops to flatten slightly. Cover and let rise again in warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Makes 2 round loaves.
To decorate, frost with Confectioner’s Icing. Make smaller circle on top with red-candied cherries and slivers of green-candied cherries around the outside of the red cherries. (Should look like a wreath)
Confectioner’s Icing:
Add sufficient milk or cream to 2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar to make of spreading consistency. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well! |
This recipe for Sugarplum Bread – Sharlene Tomlinson is from