Christmas Bread

This is one great bread to serve for Christmas! My mother in law was diligent enough to bake this and made it pretty with mixed dried fruits on top . I planned to post this before leaving Singapore for the Christmas break but obviously, didn't have the time.

This recipe is one of our clippings from an article by Cynthia Low from Singapore's The Straits Times. I'm glad to share this here to have something to remember baking again next Christmas...

Ingredients:
1 sachet dried yeast (14g)
200g mixed dried fruit
3tbs rum or brandy (optional)
400g white bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
50g caster or light brown sugar
85g butter, cut into pieces
250ml milk
1 egg beaten

Lemon Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1tbs butter

For decoration:
Chopped glazed cherries
Mixed nuts

1. Place the yeast in a small bowl with a tsp of caster sugar and about 1/2 cup of warm (not hot) water. Set aside for 15 mins.
2. Put the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over the rum or brandy and leave to soak while you make the dough.
3. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in the sugar. Rub the butter into the flour mix until it resembles fine bread crumbs.
4. Warm the milk, then mix into the beaten egg. Pour the yeast mixture, warmed milk and egg into the flour mix. Knead the dough until smooth an elastic, adding a little more flour or milk if it is too sticky or dry.
5. Gather the dough into a ball then knead by hand several minutes on a lightly floured surface. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave until double in size (roughly an hour).
6. Knead the dough a few times more, then roll out to a rectangle about 36cmx15cm. Spread the mixed fruit on the top then loosely roll it up lengthways. From the roll into a circle joining the two ends. Line a flat baking dish with baking paper and lift the circle dough on to it.
7. Using sharp scissors, cut slashes around the outside of the circle. Cover lightly with cling film and leave to rise for 30-45 mins. Heat the oven to 200C.
8. Brush the top with little olive oil and bake for 20-25 mins. When done, cool bread on a wire rack.
9. Make the icing by placing the icing sugar, lemon juice, and butter in a small bowl. Add a tiny amount of boiling water - just enough to soften the butter. Mix until smooth and even consistency for spreading.
10. Spread the icing on the bread and add decorate with glazed cherries, dried mixed peel and nuts on top.