FRUIT-NUT BREAD

INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup warm water (105° for dry yeast) 2 cups scalded milk (cool to 105° to 95°) 1/2 oz yeast (active dry) 2 tbsps melted butter or shortening 2 tbsps salt 2 tbsps white sugar 6 cups all purpose flour

METHOD: PLEASE READ ENTIRE METHOD TABLE BEFORE STARTING! 1. Pour water into a bowl; add yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in the scalded and cool milk, then add the melted butter, salt and sugar. Stir until well blended. 2. Stir in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Add 4 cups flour and beat until dough is smooth and elastic (rest when you get tired ;-) Mix the 5th cup flour in to make a stiff dough. 3. Measure 6th cup flour, sprinkle about half of it on board. Keep a coating of flour on the dough as you begin to knead. 4. With floured hands, fold dough towards you with fingers. Push firmly away with the heel of your hands. Add more flour to board as it kneads in until the dough no longer sticks. 5. Kneading is finished when non-sticking dough is smooth and sitting. Put dough in greased bowl, grease top lightly. Cover bowl and set in warm place (about 80°F) to raise. 6. Let dough raise until almost doubles (about 1 1/2 hours at 80°). Test by inserting two fingers into risen dough. (1/2 in. deep). If indentation remains, the dough is ready to shape. 7. Punch dough down. Squeeze out air bubbles with your hand; shape into a smooth ball. Grasp the center of ball and squeeze dough to be divided into equal portion for the 2 loaves. 8. Form each loaf by squeezing dough to press out air bubbles, shape into smooth oval. Turn over in one hand; with other hand pinch seam in center, turn ends to seal. 9. Put shaped loaves in greased pans, seams down. Cover. Let rise in warm place until almost doubled (about 45 mins) Put in 375° oven. 10. Bake until nicely brown and just starting to pull away from pan sides (45 mins) Remove from oven; turn loaves out of pans to cool before slicing or storing. In step 7, knead in 1 cup chopped mixed fruit or chopped raisins and 1 cup chopped nuts. After loaves are baked, glaze while still warm with 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar. (Crush with rolling pin) mixed with 1 tbsp water.