Sweet Cherry Yeast Bread
Description
You only need a handful of fresh cherries to make this wonderful bread. Enjoy it toasted for breakfast, for a sandwich, as a snack or perhaps as a dessert.
Ingredients
4 c. bread flour
1 T. salt
2 t. instant yeast
1 c. sugar
5 T. butter
1 c. plus 1 T. water
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. fresh cherries, pitted and quartered
1/2 c. blanched sliced almonds, for top
1 egg, for egg wash
Directions
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In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, yeast, sugar, butter and water into a soft dough.
Turn onto a clean work surface; knead for 3-4 minutes. Add raisins and walnuts; knead for another three minutes. Add the cherries; knead in about 1 minute to distribute through the dough.
Set dough under an over-turned bowl to rise for 30 minutes.
Roll dough out into a log-shape, about 18-20 inches long. Cut log down the middle lenghwise, into 2 pieces. Lay the 2 pieces side-by-side; twist them together into 1 piece, overlapping 1 piece over the other; pinch ends together. (Or, you can press into a rectangle, roll-up jelly roll style and bake in an 8x4-inch loaf pan, for a regular loaf shape.)
Set loaf onto a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover with a tea towel; let it rise for another hour or until risen and puffy.
In a small bowl, mix egg with 1 t. water; brush onto loaf; sprinkle with the almonds, pressing them into the loaf so they stick. (*Alternate glaze: mix granulated sugar with just enough lemon juice to make a paste; brush onto loaf; sprinkle with almonds).
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, (checking at about 20 minutes, covering loosely with foil if almonds are browning too quickly); until golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of around 190 degrees.
Remove loaf to a cooling rack.
Slice and serve.
14 servings.