Serves: 2
Total Calories: 2,590

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter real
2 packages yeast active dry
1/4 cup water lukewarm
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup currants or 1/2 cup each, currants and raisins
1 tablespoon rum or brandy
1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
2 teaspoons lemon peels grated
1/2 teaspoon cardamon grated
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon each, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup each, candied citron, orange peel, lemon peel
5 to 6 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon butter real, melted
Candied fruit for decorating
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar sifted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

* Mix together adding a bit more milk if necessary to make good consistency for spreading. Coat loaves with glaze and decorate with a few pieces of candied fruit before glaze sets. In small saucepan, mix together milk, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and butter bring to boil, stirring. Remove from heat cool to lukewarm.

In large bowl of electric mixer combine dry yeast, lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon sugar mixing to dissolve let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup unbleached flour and cooled milk-sugar mixture. Let stand in warm place until bubbly, about 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, mix currants (or currants and raisins) with rum or brandy, lemon juice and rind add the 4 spices. Let stand, stirring from time to time.

When yeast mixture is bubbly, stir in eggs and yolk, currants (or currants and raisins), candied fruits and 5 of the 6 cups of flour. If using a dough hook on electric mixer, beat at low speed for 5 to 6 minutes or blend by hand. Dough will be sticky and rather soft turn dough out onto well floured board. Knead in the last cup of flour by hand and continue kneading for 4 to 5 minutes. Place dough in well oiled bowl and turn dough over to cover with oil. Cover with a dampened dish towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down, knead for 1 minute, divide in half and shape into long oval loaves. Brush top with melted butter and place on well oiled baking sheet. Cover with a dampened dish towel, let rise in warm place until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 50 minutes or until lightly brown and hollow sounding when tapped. When cold, prepare glaze.

Note: This sounds like a complicated recipe but it isn't. It's fun to knead bread, but the work is shortened with a dough hook attachment of an electric mixer. These loaves make lovely Christmas presents, too!

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 2
Total Calories: 2,590
Calories from Fat: 501

More Recipes from the Holiday Cookbook Cookbook:
Bubble Bread
Christmas Stollen
Coconut-Pumpkin Loaf
Cranberry-Orange-Nut Bread
Danish Aebelskiver
Date-Nut Bread
Dinner Muffins
Easy Christmas Tree Bread
Favorite Holiday Bread
French Breakfast Puffs
Gingerbread
Golden Muffins
Great Big Pancake
Herb Casserole Bread
Kugelhopf
Mayonnaise Muffins
Raisin Bread
Refrigerator Biscuits
Sesame Wreath
Swedish Coffee Ring