Cherry Valentine's Dessert Bread

Yield: 3 small breads

Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups milk, room temperature

2-1/4 tsp or 1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 large egg

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped candied cherries

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, about

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp soft butter

1/4 tsp vanilla

Water

1/4 cup halved candied cherries

Preparation:

1. In large bowl, mix together milk, yeast, 1/2 cup butter, sugar, salt, egg, and cinnamon. Mix in 2 cups flour. Mix in chopped candied cherries. Mix in the remaining flour until you have a soft dough. You may or may not need as much flour as stated in the recipe.
   
2. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead for 8 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl. Turn dough over so that the dough is greased on both sides. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place for one hour.
   
3. Punch down dough and turn out onto floured board. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into three equal parts. Roll each part into a 10 x 6-inch oval. Fold the length of the oval in half so that the top short edge is about 1-inch in from the bottom short edge. Place each folded bread onto a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place for about 40 minutes or until double in size.
   
4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove breads from baking sheets and let cool on rack until warm. While the bread is still warm, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 tsp butter, vanilla, and enough water to make a thick icing. Ice each bread while it is still warm and top with halved cherries.