Sugar Plum Loaves

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water (110 degrees)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 cup milk, scalded
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 11/2 tsp. salt
• 4 3/4 - 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 2 beaten eggs
• 11/2 cups mixed candied fruits and peels
• confectioner's icing
• nuts and candied cherry halves

Directions

1. Stir yeast into water.
2. Add 2 tsp. sugar and allow yeast to become active (about 10 minutes).
3. Combine milk, 1/2 cup sugar, shortening, and salt.
4. Cool to lukewarm.
5. Add about 2 cups flour and the lemon peel.
6. Beat until smooth.
7. Add eggs and beat well.
8. Stir in yeast mixture.
9. Add fruits and peels.
10. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.
11. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
12. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes).
13. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.
14. Cover. Let rise till double (about 1 1/2~2 hours).
15. Punch down.
16. Divide dough in half.
17. Round each half into a ball.
18. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
19. Pat balls of dough into two round loaves.
20. Place on greased cookie sheet.
21. Pat tops to flatten slightly.
22. Cover and let rise till double (about 11/2 hours).
23. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes. (Cover tops with foil after about 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.) Cool.
24. While still slightly warm, frost with confectioner's icing and decorate with nuts and candied cherry halves.

Makes 2 loaves