Sugarplum Spice Bread Recipes

SUGARPLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water in large mixer bowl. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well.
• Add 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter or margarine, salt, lemon rind, and 2 cups flour. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed with electric mixer. Add 2 cups more flour and eggs; beat 3 minutes. Stir in almost all remaining flour, using enough flour to make a soft dough.
• Knead dough on floured board until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl. Cover with greased waxed paper and a tea towel. Let rise in warm place 75 - 85 degrees F (25 - 30 degrees C)until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, and knead in raisins, candied fruit, and nuts. Shape into two round loaves. Place each in a well greased, 9 inch, round cake pan. Cover with tea towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
• Bake at 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C) for 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from pans immediately. Cool on wire racks.
• Mix together confectioners sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons water, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spoon onto loaves. Decorate with cherries or almonds. Alternatively, dust loaves with confectioners sugar.

SUGAR PLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine dried plums, water and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand until plumped, about 10 minutes. Drain plums, reserving fruit and liquid. Measure liquid, adding enough water to yield 1/2 cup. , Cream shortening and remaining sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with cooking liquid; fold in cooled dried plums (batter will be thick)., Transfer batter to a greased 8x4-in. loaf pan. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

SUGARPLUM SPICE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 4 cups flour, yeast, cardamom, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat milk to 120°-130°; add to creamed mixture and beat until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a heavily floured surface. Sprinkle with fruit and raisins; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 8 portions. Shape into loaves. Place in 8 greased 5x3x2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool., For frosting, in a small bowl, cream butter and shortening. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired spreading consistency. Frost loaves.

SUGARPLUMS

Steps:

• Put the almonds, plums, apricots, and figs into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 20 to 25 times or until the fruit and nuts are chopped into small pieces, but before the mixture becomes a ball.
• Combine the powdered sugar, anise seeds, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, cardamom, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the nut and fruit mixture and the honey and mix using gloved hands until well combined.
• Scoop the mixture into 1/4-ounce portions and roll into balls. If serving immediately, roll in the coarse sugar and serve. If not serving immediately, put the balls on a cooling rack and leave uncovered until ready to serve. Roll in the coarse sugar prior to serving.
• The Sugarplums may be stored on the cooling rack for up to a week. After a week, store in an airtight container for up to a month.

SUGARPLUM GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Put the prunes along with 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until the fruit is very soft and starting to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in molasses and baking soda, then set aside.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Generously butter or spray, then flour a 12-cup, or 10-inch Bundt pan, and place it on a baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and brown sugar on medium-speed until very thick and pale. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then set speed to low and add the molasses mixture. Beat until just incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing only until all traces of flour disappear. Transfer batter to the prepared Bundt pan.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the domed part of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert cake onto the rack, lift away the pan and cool completely to room temperature.
• Dust the cocoa powder over the cake, using a fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer, then transfer to a serving plate.

ALMOND CRANBERRY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F and grease a 8x4x2" loaf pan.
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Combine the egg, milk, butter, and almond extract in a separate bowl.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing just until moistened (do not overmix).
• Stir in chopped almonds and cranberries.
• Spread batter in loaf pan and then sprinkle with additional 1 tbls. sugar and then the slivered or sliced almonds.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• REDUCE heat to 350F and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Let cool 10-15 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

SUGARPLUM SPICE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 4 cups flour, yeast, cardamom, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat milk to 120 degrees F-130 degrees F; add to creamed mixture and beat until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a heavily floured surface. Sprinkle with fruit and raisins; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
• Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divided into eight portions. Shape into loaves. Place in eight greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
• For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost loaves.

SUGAR PLUM BREAD WITH HOMEMADE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve 1 tsp sugar in warm water.
• Sprinkle in yeast and let stand 10 minutes then stir well.
• Add 1/2 cup sugar, butter, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat for 2 minutes.
• Add 2 more cups flour and eggs. Beat 3 minutes.
• Stir in remaining flour. You should have a soft dough. Knead for 8 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with greased paper and a towel.
• Let rise for 2 hours in a warm oven.
• Punch down. Knead in fruit and nuts. Shape into 2 balls.
• Place in greased 8" cake pans. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1-1/2 hours. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes at 350°.
• Remove from pans at once. Drizzle with glaze.
• Glaze: Mix sugar and water together. If too stiff, add more water by drops.
• Butter: In a glass jar, shake the whipping cream until butter forms. Drain and chill until ready to use.