Tasty yeast breads are flavored with molasses, chocolate, raisins, and ginger. Perfect for kitchen gifts.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 envelopes dry yeast
- 2/3 cup lukewarm water
- 3 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate, put through a blender
- 6 cups sifted flour
- 1 cup seedless raisins
- 1 cup candied ginger, cut in small pieces
Preparation:
Butter 2 loaf pans, 9 x 5 x 3 inches. Scald the milk, and add salt, butter, and molasses. Stir to blend and cool to lukewarm.Mix yeast and lukewarm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast, and add to molasses-milk mixture. Beat the eggs, add the sugar and beat well. Stir this into the above mixture. Add the chocolate bits.
Sift a little of the flour over the raisins and ginger. Stir the remaining flour into the liquid mixture. Add the raisins and ginger.
Knead the dough on a floured board until smooth and elastic. Place in a buttered bowl, cover, and allow to rise until double in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.
Punch down the dough and knead again. Cut into halves and shape each half into a loaf. Put into the prepared pans, cover, and allow to rise again. Bake in a 325-degree F. oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped and have begun to shrink for the sides of the pans.
The Author says: "These little loaves are full of spicy flavor. The dough may be made into rolls to be iced and served at breakfast or supper." --Gertrude Parke
Recipe Source: The Big Chocolate Cookbook by Gertrude Parke (Galahad Books)
Reprinted with permission.
