Sugarplum Loaves Recipe

How to make it

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• I have altered this recipe to use modern appliances that didn't exist back then, 47 years ago.
• The prep time doesn't include rising time. Go take a nap, a walk, see your lover.
• Measure the milk into a small pan and put it on the heat to scald
• Using the same cup, measure 1/2 cup of warm water and empty the yeast into it, stir a bit
• When the milk is scalded, add the sugar, the salt and the butter and let it melt and cool to tepid.
• Put the tepid milk mixture into a very large bowl and add 2 cups of flour and the lemon peel. Using dough hooks, beat until it is smooth.
• Beat in the two eggs, one by one, and then add and beat in the yeast mixture.
• Add 2.25 cups of flour and beat it in. Continue to beat in flour, half cup by half cup, until you leave the batter stage and reach a soft dough stage.
• Flour a counter and scrape the dough out onto the flour. Flour your hands and knead until it becomes stretchy and smooth. You will probably incorporate quite a bit of flour, just don't take it as far as bread dough. Then, one-third at a time, knead in the diced candied fruit.
• Oil a very large bowl and put the dough into it, turning in order to oil all sides of it. Cover it well (I use a bowl one size smaller upside down like a dome. Put in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in bulk. (I warm the oven, put it in and turn the oven off.)
• When it has risen, punch it down and form two oval loaves of the dough. Place them on baking paper on a large cookie sheet, cover with more baking paper and leave to rise for a further 1.5 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 150°C or 300°F. Remove the paper covering. Slide the breads in on a rack NOT at the bottom, but leaving plenty of room to rise -- you may need to remove an upper rack. Bake 30 minutes.
• Remove the loaves to cooling racks.
• Make the icing and drizzle it over the loaves while they are still warm.
• Properly wrapped, the unfrosted loaves freeze perfectly. Frosted ones less perfectly.