Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

Stephen Ceideburg 1/2 c Water
1 c Candied cherries 1 ts Vanilla
1/4 c Sweet red wine (Marsala 2 Eggs
-preferred) 2 Egg yolks
3 3/4 c All-purpose flour 1 Zest of half an orange
1/3 c Granulated sugar 1/2 c Nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, or
1/2 ts Salt -hazelnuts)
5 ts Quick-rising dry yeast 1/2 c Green candied pineapple
1/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg -wedges
2/3 c Unsalted butter or 1 Powdered sugar for dusting
-margarine, softened -on the top
1/4 c Milk

An Italian Christmas is not complete without this high-domed cylinder
of fruit-studded sweet bread. This recipe has an option of using the
microwave to make the bread rise.

Soak the cherries in the wine.

In the processor bowl fitted with the steel blade, combine flour,
sugar, salt, yeast and nutmeg. Pulse to mix. Now cut butter into
pieces and arrange on the top. Pulse to blend so that it almost
disappears.

In a glass measure, combine the milk and water. Microwave on high
about 40 seconds (see power levels), then with a fork, whisk in the
vanilla, eggs, and egg yolks. With the processor motor running,
drizzle the liquids very slowly into the flour mixture in food
processor.

Process 60 seconds. Add orange zest and pulse to mix. Transfer to
large glass mixing bowl and cover loosely with a damp tea towel or
plastic wrap.

To use the microwave for bread rising, place the bowl in the
microwave. Place an 8-ounce glass of water in the back of the
microwave. Lower the microwave to low (see power levels). Place the
dough in the microwave. Heat on low for 3 minutes. Rest for 3
minutes. Heat on low for 3 minutes longer. Rest for 6 minutes, or
until the batter has risen to about double in bulk. It will look
bubbly and light.

Or let the dough rise in a warm draft-free place about 45 to 60
minutes.

When dough has doubled in bulk, stir the batter down, then stir in the
cherry mixture, nuts and candied pineapple until well- distributed in
the batter.

Grease generously and lightly flour two, 1-pound coffee cans. Cut a
parchment or wax paper circle to fit the bottom of each can and add
it, dusting and flouring it as well. Spoon the batter into the cans,
filling about halfway. Press down slightly. Let rise in a warm, draft
free place until nearly doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Just before popping it in the oven, cut an X in the tops of the
loaves with a razor. Italian bakers put a blob of butter into the cut.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, or until evenly browned and a skewer
stuck in the center comes out clean. Remove immediately to a rack to
cool, then 15 minutes later, slide the cakes out of the pans and lay
them on their sides to continue cooling. Dust with powdered sugar
while warm. When cooled, wrap in plastic to store.

Power levels: high (100 percent), medium-high (70 percent), medium (50
percent), medium-low (30 percent) and low (10 percent). In ovens of
less than 600 watts, increase cooking times about 15 percent. If your
oven is less than 500 watts, try using high or maximum power, even
when directions call for 50 percent power. The high setting is
equivalent to 50 percent power on a 600-700 watt oven.

Per 1/2-inch slice: 160 calories (8 percent from protein, 61 percent
from carbohydrate, 31 percent from fat), 3 grams protein, 24 grams
carbohydrate, 6 grams fat, 37 milligrams cholesterol, 41 milligrams
sodium.

Exchanges: 1 1/2 bread, 1 fat.

Makes 2 1-pound cakes Cost--about $2.50 each

Linda West Eckhardt writing in the Portland Oregonian's FOODday,
12/22/93.

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg
Submitted By LAWRENCE KELLIE On 01-04-95

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