Schnitzbrodt (german Fruit Bread)

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 12 ounces mixed dried fruit
• 8 ounces dried apples
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water (115â° - 120â°)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm scalded milk (115â° - 120â°)
• 1 1/2 cups flour, unsifted
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup currants
• 1 cup nuts, chopped,if desired
• 7 cups flour, more as needed

Recipe

• 1 cover mixed dried fruit and apples with boiling water in saucepan and soak overnight.
• 2 next morning, cook until fruit is quite soft, about 15 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
• 3 chop or cut up fruit.
• 4 soften yeast in lukewarm water, add 1 tbsp sugar and let stand 10 minutes.
• 5 add milk.
• 6 add 1 ½ c flour to make a sponge and set aside until bubbles break on top.
• 7 cream butter in a large mixing bowl.
• 8 add 1 c sugar and cream well.
• 9 mix in beaten eggs.
• 10 add the sponge, chopped fruits, salt, cinnamon, raisins, currants and nuts.
• 11 beat in 3 cups flour.
• 12 divide dough into fourths.
• 13 take out ¼ of the dough and knead on a floured pastry cloth or board adding enough flour to keep the dough soft but not sticky.
• 14 continue doing this 3 more times until all the dough has been worked up, then knead it all together.
• 15 lightly oil a clean bowl, take dough and run the top around the inside of the bowl, place it in the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.
• 16 knead lightly, divide into 4 portions and shape each into a loaf, place in greased loaf pans.
• 17 cover and let rise until double.
• 18 bake at 400° for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350° and bake 45 minutes longer or until done.