Bread Machine (169 page)
Place the ingredients, except the cranberries, in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Sweet Bread cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) When the machine beeps, or between Knead 1 and Knead 2, add the cranberries and any extra brandy in the bowl.
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
Confectioners’ Sugar Icing
Makes enough for 1 braid, one 1
1
/
2
- or 2-pound loaf, 1 dozen cinnamon rolls, or a coffee cake
This is the elementary white sugar glaze that tops any sweet or holiday bread, or turns an otherwise savory bread into a sweet treat. The glaze can be embellished in many ways—this is where to use all those wonderful flavor extracts and citrus oils. Choose a flavor for your icing that complements the ingredients in the bread, for example, add cream sherry to icing for
Toasted Walnut Bread
or Frangelico to icing for
Old-Fashioned Raisin Bread
or
Sour Cream Bread
. You can even glaze a homemade white bread and stud the top of the loaf with nuts for a special presentation. You will use this recipe over and over, and for good reason. You’ll want to lick the spoon, it is so delicious.
3
/
4
cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 to 1
1
/
2
tablespoons warm milk
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring
Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more milk, a few drops at a time.
VARIATIONS
Intense Vanilla:
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla powder to the confectioners’ sugar and add
1
/
2
teaspoon ground vanilla beans along with the vanilla extract.
Almond:
Substitute 1 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla.
Anise:
Substitute 1 teaspoon anise extract for the vanilla.
Lemon:
Substitute 1 teaspoon lemon oil or extract or 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice for the vanilla.
Orange:
Substitute fresh orange juice or thawed frozen concentrate for the milk.
Mocha:
Substitute 1 teaspoon liquid coffee extract for the vanilla.
Coconut:
Substitute 1 teaspoon coconut extract for the vanilla.
Sweet Spice:
Add
1
/
2
teaspoon ground cinnamon, cardamom, mace, or nutmeg.
Frangelico or Amaretto:
Substitute the liqueur for the milk.
Cream Sherry:
Substitute the sherry for the milk.
T
he cinnamon tree is native to Sri Lanka and to China, where it is called cassia. Long ago the bark was gathered in the wild by natives and sold to Arab seatraders. The strips of bark are dried in the sun, then rolled and further dried to the characteristic color. The first cinnamon plantation was planted in 1765 by the Dutch, producing enough cinnamon for kitchens around the world to have some cinnamon in them. This special sweet loaf is always exceptionally sweet loaf is always exceptionally popular. Serve it plain, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, or drizzled with the vanilla-orange glaze, reminiscent of an old-fashioned frozen Creamsicle.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
For the dough:
1
/
2
cup orange juice
1
/
3
cup milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 cups bread flour
1
/
4
cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon gluten
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1
1
/
4
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
2
teaspoons bread machine yeast
For the vanilla-orange glaze:
3
/
4
cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1
1
/
2
to 2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-POUND LOAF
For the dough:
2
/
3
cup orange juice
1
/
2
cup milk
1 large egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 cups bread flour
1
/
3
cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
2
1
/
2
teaspoons ground cinnamon
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt
2
1
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
For the vanilla-orange glaze:
3
/
4
cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1
1
/
2
to 2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To make the dough, place all the dough ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)