Festive Butter Almond Loaf Recipes

Steps:

• Pan preparation:
• Butter the pan(s) or spray with butter-flavor nonstick vegetable spray and dust with flour. Tap out the excess flour.
• Make bread:
• Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and wheat germ. If using a food processor, add the apricots and a generous tablespoon of the flour mixture to the bowl and pulse until the fruit is cut into small (¼-inch) bits. Or, cut up the apricots with oiled kitchen shears or an oiled knife. Scrape the apricot bits into the bowl with the flour. Chop the nuts and add them to the dry ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, nectar or buttermilk, and extracts. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the oil-egg mixture. Whisk or stir just to blend well; don't over mix.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s), filling them about two-thirds full. Bake 60 to 65 minutes for a large loaf, 40 to 45 minutes for small loaves (or for the time indicated for your altitude in the chart below), or until the bread is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan(s) on a wire rack.
• Make icing:
• To make the icing, whisk together the sugar and liquid in a small bowl until thick and smooth. When the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the icing over the top; it will harden as it dries.
• Cooks' Note
• Icing measurements stay the same at all elevations, but if you are baking the bread at high altitude, follow the adjustments below.
• If baking at 3,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon. Decrease baking soda to ¼ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon. Increase to 2 large eggs. Place rack in center of oven; bake large loaf at 375° for 50-55 minutes, baby loaves for 30-35 minutes.
• If baking at 5,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon. Decrease baking powder to 1¼ teaspoons plus ⅛ teaspoon. Decrease baking soda to ¼ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons. Increase to 2 large eggs. Increase apricot nectar (or buttermilk) to ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons. Place rack in lower third of oven; bake large loaf at 375° for 48-50 minutes, baby loaves for 35-40 minutes.
• If baking at 7,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons. Decrease baking powder to 1¼ teaspoons. Decrease baking soda to ¼ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to ¾ cup. Increase to 2 large eggs. Use buttermilk, not nectar, and increase to 1 cup. Place rack in lower third of oven; bake large loaf at 350° for 60-62 minutes, baby loaves for 30-35 minutes.
• If baking at 10,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2¼ cups. Decrease baking powder to 1¼ teaspoons. Decrease baking soda to ⅛ teaspoon. Increase salt to ½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to ¾ cup minus 1 tablespoon. Increase to 2 large eggs. Use buttermilk, not nectar, and increase to 1 cup. Place rack in lower third of oven; bake large loaf at 350° for 60-65 minutes, baby loaves for 32-37 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease two medium loaf pans.
• In large bowl, mix first six ingredients, and beat on high speed for 5 minutes.
• Fold in flour, baking powder and salt, alternately with the milk.
• Pour into pans, and sprinkle almonds on top of each loaf.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until lightly browned and done.
• When loaves have cooled slightly, loosen edges, and turn out onto wire rack.
• Drizzle glaze over loaves.
• To make glaze, beat powdered sugar, water and extract together in a small bowl until smooth.
• If glaze is too thick, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water.
• Decorate with cherries.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a loaf pan with wax paper, then spray with cooking spray.
• Place the butter into a heavy saucepan, and melt over medium heat. Allow the butter to simmer until foam rises to the top of the butter, 5 to 10 minutes. Gently skim away the foam and discard; pour the golden, clear layer of butter through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove remaining milk solids, avoiding pouring any milk solids left in the bottom of the pan. Allow the clarified butter to cool.
• Beat sugar and egg with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the baking powder and almond extract. Stir in the clarified butter. Pour in the flour alternately with the cream in 2 or 3 installments, mixing until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the sugar, butter, egg, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and cider. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in apples; cook 5-10 minutes longer or until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat; stir in cranberries. Cool to room temperature., Punch dough down; roll into a 15x12-in. rectangle. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread filling lengthwise down center of dough. On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips 3 in. into center. Fold strips at an angle across filling; seal ends. Cover and let rise until doubled., Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Combine confectioners' sugar, water and extract; drizzle over loaf. Sprinkle with cranberries and almonds.