Dried Cherry Cardamom Bread Recipes

DRIED CHERRY-CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 9x5- or 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add buttermilk and eggs; blend well. (Mixture will appear curdled.)
• In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add to buttermilk mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 9x5-inch pan 50 to 65 minutes, 8x4-inch pan 55 to 75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Loosen edges of bread; cool in pan on cooling rack 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan; place on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Wrap tightly, and store in refrigerator.

DRIED CHERRY OR CRANBERRY LOAF

Steps:

• Place cherries (or cranberries) in a container with a very tight fitting lid.
• Pour liqueur and hot water over the cherries, seal the lid tightly, and shake to coat cherries well with the liquid.
• Set aside 3 hours or overnight so cherries will absorb the liquid.
• Preheat oven to 350 F (or 325 F for a pan with a black surface).
• Grease a loaf pan and lightly dust with plain dry breadcrumbs, shaking out excess.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and the salt.
• In another bowl, cream the butter and the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the sugars, and the finely grated lemon zest and beat until well combined and pale yellow.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Add the flour mixture, beating on low speed, just until the flour is combined.
• Stir in the cherries and any liquid still in the soaking container.
• Pour batter into the pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 45-60 minutes- or until a toothpick insterted in the center tests clean, checking as early as 40 minutes into the baking time- if it is getting too brown, cover loosely with foil and continue baking until the toothpick tests done.
• Expect the top of the loaf to crack.
• Let cool in the pan 15 minutes, then remove from pan and set onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Wrap in plastic and let set overnight before slicing.
• For extra decadence, drizzle a little more liqueur over the crack before wrapping in plastic- don't pour too much or you'll soak the bread.

FRUIT-FILLED CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine yeast with warm water, soften for about 5 minutes. In a 1- to 1 1/2 -quart pan, combine butter and milk; warm over medium heat until milk is 110 degrees. Butter does not need to melt. (Or heat butter and milk in a microwave-safe bowl, uncovered, in a microwave until mixture is 110 degrees.)
• Add milk mixture, whole eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon peel, cardamom, salt and 3 cups flour to yeast. Beat at medium speed until dough is stretchy and shiny, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour.
• With a dough hook attachment, beat at high speed until dough pulls cleanly from sides of bowl, 5 to 8 minutes. If dough still sticks, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough pulls free. (Or scrape dough onto a lightly floured board and knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.)
• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees and make filling. Place slivered almonds in a 9-inch pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Soak 1 cup golden raisins in orange juice and brandy or vanilla until plump, about 30 minutes.
• In a food processor, finely chop raisin mixture, almonds, chopped apple, dried apricots, cinnamon and grated orange peel.
• When dough is ready, punch dough down. On a floured surface, roll into a 10-by-36-inch rectangle. Spread fruit filling over dough to within 1/2 inch of long sides. Roll from a long side, jelly roll-style. Cut into three equal-sized loafs. Pinch and smooth ends of loaf to prevent filling from falling out.
• Place seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 25 minutes. Mix egg yolk and water. Brush over tree.
• Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown, 40 to 45 minute. If necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.
• Remove from oven and cool. Mix powdered sugar with orange juice until smooth.
• Spoon glaze over bread. Slice when warm or cool and wrap in plastic.
• Makes 3 loaves.
• Christmas tree variation: Before rolling out dough, set aside 1/3 cup. Roll and fill remaining dough as directed. Take the long piece of dough, seam-side down, and zig-zag it into a stacked "S" shape to make a tree that is narrow at top and broad at base. Form reserved 1/3 cup dough into a ball and attach it to the base of tree as the trunk. Continue to rise and bake as directed above. Makes 1 large loaf.

CHERRY CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 F.
• Toss chopped cherries and 2 Tbsp flour: set aside.
• Beat butter, sugar and cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
• Beat in egg, buttermilk and vanilla.
• Beat in 2 1/3 cups flour, the cardamom, baking powder and baking soda on low speed just until flour is moistened.
• Stir in cherries (Dough may be streaked with pink).
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 12 to 14 min or until bottoms are light golden.
• Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack;cool.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.