Frisian Sugar Loaf Recipes

Steps:

• Grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans, and line with parchment paper. Lightly crack the sugar cubes, but don't crush them--break in halves or quarters. Place them in a small bowl, and sprinkle with cinnamon, and toss lightly to dust with the cinnamon.
• **By hand or mixer: Place 2 cups of flour, dry milk, yeast and salt in the mixing bowl. Pour in the hot water and add the shortening. With the mixer, beat for 2 minutes, medium speed, or beat 150 strong strokes by hand with a wooden spoon. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a rough mass is formed.
• **By processor: Attach plastic dough blade, place 3 cups flour in the work bowl, and add dry milk, yeast, salt and shortening. our in hot water. Pulse 3 or 4 times, until well blended. Add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is no longer wet, but still soft and slightly sticky. Process until dough forms a ball, and cleans sides of bowl. Let the dough knead for an additional 50 seconds.
• **Kneading, for both methods: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 2 minutes. Flatten dough, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the sugar mixture, fold dough over, and continue kneading. hen cubes have disappeared into the dough, add another 1/4 cup. Again work sugar in with a kneading motion. Repeat with remaining cubes. Knead for 8 minutes. The dough will take on the cinnamon color; that's fine. If the cubes poke out, push them back in, and lightly flour if the dough becomes sticky from sugar.
• **First rise: Place dough in greased bowl, turn to coat, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes to an hour.
• **Shaping: Turn the dough onto the work surface and divide with a sharp knife. Cut edges will expose sugar pockets. Carefully close these pockets, pinching seams tightly. Shape the pieces into balls, and let them rest for 3-4 minutes. Form a loaf by pressing or rolling each into an oval, about the length of the pan. Fold oval in half, pinch seam to seal, tuck under the ends, and place in the pan, seam down. Repeat with second loaf.
• **Second rise: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place pans in a warm place, (not the oven!) cover with parchment paper, and leave until the center of the loaf has risen to 1/2" above the top of the pan, about 45 minutes.
• **Baking: If desired, cut a pattern into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Place the loaves in the hot oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake for an additional 40 minutes. Midway through baking, shift the bread to expose the loaves evenly to oven shifts. Carefully turn pans on their sides on a cooling rack. Tug gently on the paper lining, loosening the breads and pull them out. Allow to cool before serving.

Steps:

• Prepare 2 medium loaf pans (greased or non-stick).
• In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats and boiling water. Stir to blend and add the butter, honey, brown sugar, salt and raisins. Let the mixture cool to no more than 130 degrees.
• Add the yeast. Add the eggs and two cups flour.
• With a wooden spoon or the mixer flat beater, stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes.
• Work in additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, with the spoon first, then with your hands - or dough hook, if you are using a mixer.
• The dough will become a soft mass that can be picked up and placed on the work surface, or left under the hook.
• Knead with a strong push-turn-fold rhythm, adding flour if the dough is slack or wet and sticky. Knead for 8 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic. If under the dough hook in the mixer, add sprinkles of flour if the dough should cling to the sides of the bowl.
• First rising:.
• Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and put the dough aside to rise at room temperature until double in bulk (about one hour - or shorter if using rapid-rise yeast).
• Shaping:.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and divide into 2 pieces.
• With the hands and a rolling pin, shape each piece into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 12 inches long.
• Butter the dough and sprinkle on the sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll up the dough as for a jelly roll, and press the seams securely together.
• Drop each into a pan, seam down, and push into the corners and ends with your fingers.
• Second rising:.
• Cover the pans with wax paper and put aside to rise till the center of the dough rises above the edge of the pan (about 45 minutes - less if using rapid-rise yeast).
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees 20 minutes before baking.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven till the crusts are nicely browned, about 40 minutes. (I always check sooner than that to make sure they don't overbake).
• The bottom crust may be sticky with the melted sugar (which will harden as the loaf cools), but tap the crust to make certain it sounds hard and hollow.
• When the loaves come out of the oven, brush with melted butter and turn out onto a metal rack to cool before serving.