Mixed Berry Bread for #TwelveLoaves

Berry season is fast approaching. It has arrived in Florida and will soon be heading North. That means Georgia is next and I can’t wait to get local berries. I’ve been getting strawberries and blackberries at the grocery store. I used them for strawberry sorbet and to serve with zabaglione. The store-bought ones were good but not nearly as good as fresh-picked. However, dried ones are always available. I had quite a supply in my pantry so I decided to bake a mixed berry bread.

My inspiration for the bread came from the grocery store. I do most of my shopping at Publix. They have this breakfast bread that is packed full of dried fruits. It is sold in small loaves and I will cut thick slices to eat for breakfast. I would rather have a larger loaf so I can have more of a regular slice. A quick look through my old faithful Red Star Centennial Bread Sampler cookbook and I found a recipe I could adapt to fit. (The cookbook is out of print which is a shame because it is has the most wonderful bread recipes).

Mixed berry bread is hearty and full of berries and nuts. I used a combination of dried berries, golden raisins, and currants. There are walnuts and oats in the bread too. I even added a little extra goodness with white whole wheat flour. A touch of allspice gives it a special flavor and the most wonderful aroma while baking. I think this bread is really great toasted and served with butter and/or jam.

How about more berry bread recipes? This month the Twelve Loaves challenge is berries. Take a look at what the bakers have to share:

• Lemon Blueberry Bread by Alice at Hip Foodie Mom
• Yoghurt Scones With Cranberries by Rossella at Ma che ti sei mangiato
• Raspberry Quick Bread by Holly at A Baker’s House
• Mixed Berry Bread by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Raspberry Danish by Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Strawberry Cinnamon Swirl Bread by Paula at Vintage Kitchen
• Berry Oatmeal Muffins by Roxana at Roxana’s Home Baking
• Strawberry Monkey Bread by Lora at Cake Duchess
• Berry Breakfast Bread by Dionne at Try Anything Once
• Strawberry Scones by Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories

#TwelveLoaves April: Berries. Bake a bread, yeast or quick bread, loaf or individual. This #TwelveLoaves is all about incredible breads with berries featured in April. Do you have a favorite berry bread? We would love to see it. Let’s get baking!

Want to join the #TwelveLoaves group? It’s easy!

1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone’s posts. Please make sure that your bread is inspired by the theme!
2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.
3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this April, 2013 posted on your blog by April 30, 2013.

Happy Bread Baking!

Print

Mixed Berry Bread

A recipe for mixed berry bread. It is a hearty yeast bread filled with dried berries and nuts. A great breakfast bread, especially toasted.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Author Renee

Ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour divided
• 2 packages active dry yeast 1/4 ounce each
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 egg at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 cups mixed dried berries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Grease a large bowl and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add white whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, yeast, oats, sugar, salt, and allspice. Whisk to combine.
3. In a saucepan, add milk, water, and shortening. Heat until warm (120 to 130 degrees F). Shortening does not have to melt. Add to flour mixture along with the egg.
4. Using the flat beater, mix on low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
5. Change flat beater to dough hook. Add the mixed berries, nuts, and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Turn mixer on low (setting 1 or 2 as recommended by manufacturer when using dough hook). Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times and shape into a ball. Place the dough in the greased bowl and turn to coat dough. Cover and let rise in a warm draft-free place until double, about 1 hour.
7. Lightly grease two loaf pans while dough is rising.
8. Punch down dough and divide into 2 equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1/2 of the dough to a 14- X 7-inch rectangle. Starting with the shorter side, roll up tightly while pressing dough into roll with each turn. Pinch to seal edge and ends. Place into prepared loaf pan. Repeat with remaining 1/2 of the dough.
9. Cover loaves and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until double, about 1 hour.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the loaves are rising.
11. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden or medium brown, rotating once half way through baking (for even browning).
12. Remove loaves from the pans and cool completely on a rack. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

A recipe for mixed berry bread. It is a hearty yeast bread filled with dried berries and nuts. A great breakfast bread, especially toasted. - Time does not include time to rise.

Recipe adapted from one in the Red Star Centennial Bread Sampler cookbook (currently out of print).