Braided Cranberry Bread Recipe

 

Ingredients

 

Makes 18 servings

• 2 3/4 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 package active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup finely chopped cranberries

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter or margarine, melted

• 1/2 recipe Orange Glaze (refer recipe)

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Method:

1. In large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In medium saucepan heat and stir milk, water, granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons butter, and the salt until warm (120° to 130°) and butter almost melts.

2. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; add egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes.

3. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape into ball.

4. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (1 to 1 1/2 hours).

5. Meanwhile, for filling, in a small bowl stir together cranberries, brown sugar, pecans, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.

6. Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Grease a baking sheet. Roll dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter.

7. Spread filling over dough. Starting from a long side, roll up dough into a spiral. Seal seam. Cut roll in half lengthwise. Turn cut sides up. Loosely twist halves together, keeping the cut sides up. Pinch ends to seal.

8. Place loaf on the prepared sheet. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double (about 30 minutes).

9. Bake bread in a 375°C oven about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet; cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with Orange Glaze.