Holiday Fruit Bread

== Ingredients ==
* 1 large egg
* 1½ cups buttermilk
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 tbsp grated lemon peel
* milk for glaze
* 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
* 1 cup golden raisins
* ¾ cup chopped dates
* ½ cup chopped prunes
* 1 to 1½ cups ruby port
* fine yellow cornmeal for dusting
* 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
* ½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
* 1½ tsp salt
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda
* ½ tsp ground cinnamon
* ¼ tsp ground cloves
== Directions ==
# In shallow bowl, combine raisins, dates, prunes and enough port to just cover.
# Let stand 30 to 60 minutes.
# Lightly oil large baking sheet and dust with cornmeal; set aside.
# Preheat oven to 375°F.
# In large bowl, mix flour, ½ cup sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves.
# Cut butter into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or rub it in with your fingers until mixture resembles fine crumbs; set aside.
# In small bowl, whisk egg then whisk in buttermilk, vanilla and lemon peel.
# Drain fruit; discard port.
# Add fruit to flour mixture and toss well.
# Make a well in flour mixture, add buttermilk mixture and stir briskly with wooden spoon just until dough pulls together in a mass.
# Let stand 3 minutes.
# Lightly dust work surface and hands with flour.
# Turn dough out onto surface and divide in half.
# Knead each half 30 seconds then pat into 1-inch-thick circles.
# Brush off any flour on dough, then fold each circle in half (but not perfectly, the top should be set back from bottom by about 1 inch) 
# Lightly brush loaves with milk and sprinkle generously with sugar (about ½ tablespoon).
# Transfer loaves to baking sheet.
# Bake 25 minutes.
# Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
# Continue baking until loaves are golden brown and crusty, 20 to 25 minutes.
# Transfer loaves to wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
# To store, wrap cooled loaves in foil and refrigerate.
Category:Dessert loaf Recipes
Category:Christmas