Cranberry Orange Bread

By Hklbrries

Ingredients

• Glaze:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 (4 ounce) packet Fleischman's yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tsp orange juice
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• Toasted almonds, optional

Details

Adapted from statefairrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar (1/2 cup) and salt. In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar (1 tsp) and water. Let set five minutes. Yeast should begin to bubble and rise. In another large bowl, put milk and butter and add to it 2 cups of prepared flour mixture. Beat on low with a dough hook 1 minute and add yeast mixture, eggs (one at a time) and remaining flour mixture. Beat on medium another 2 minutes until dough comes together. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn out dough and add cranberries and orange zest. Knead for 5 minutes. Separate dough into 3 equal balls and roll out into 3 (15-inch) ropes. Lay the 3 ropes side by side and braid. Place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool about 15 minutes and drizzle with glaze and garnish with almonds.

Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, orange juice and almond extract. Mix until smooth and well blended. Drizzle over bread.