Merry Christmas Cranberry Bread

I've updated this family favorite holiday recipe with a new/old technique - frozen butter. Freezing the butter and then grating it into the dry ingredients is easier and quicker and a bit more foolproof that cutting in diced butter with a pastry blender. This recipe is lovely for breakfast as is or as french toast, as an appetizer, on a cheeseboard and even along side dinner rolls for the main course. You can make it ahead, wrap it tight and if there are any leftovers, it toasts up perfectly. It also makes an outstanding bread pudding or trifle base. So there are 7 ways this bread fits into your holiday. Get baking!

Cranberry Bread

yields 2 - 9x5x3 loaves

Preheat oven to 350 degres

4 cups good quality a.p. flour - I use Castle Valley Mill soft bolted wheat

2 cups sugar

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 stick frozen butter

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tsp orange or lemon zest

1 1/2 cups cold orange juice with pulp

3 cups dried cranberries

3 cups fresh cranberries

In a large bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a cheese (box) grater butter, grate butter into dry ingredients and stir to distribute, making the mixture crumbly. Add egg, zest and juice all at once. Stir until mixture just comes together and is evenly moist. Fold in cranberries gently. Spoon into loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or util toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

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