Christmas Bread

Name: Christmas Bread
Ingredients: 3 cups Flour; 1 envelope (7g Packet) Active Dry Yeast; 1/4 teaspoons Baking Soda; 1 cup Buttermilk; 1/4 cups Shortening; 1/4 cups Sugar; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1 whole Egg; 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened; 1 Tablespoon Red Sugar Crystals; 1 Tablespoon Green Sugar Crystals; Powdered Sugar Icing

12 ingredients

5 steps

Ingredients

3 cups Flour
1 envelope (7g Packet) Active Dry Yeast
1/4 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 cup Buttermilk
1/4 cups Shortening
1/4 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 whole Egg
2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
1 Tablespoon Red Sugar Crystals
1 Tablespoon Green Sugar Crystals
Powdered Sugar Icing

Directions

1

Combine 11/2 cups flour, the yeast, and baking soda.
2

Heat buttermilk, shortening, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt till warm, stirring to melt the shortening. Add to the dry ingredients; add egg.
3

Beat at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make moderately stiff.
4

Turn onto a floured board; knead 5 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Halve dough. Roll one half to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle. Spread with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with red sugar crystals. Fold in half to make a narrow rectangle. Cut into fourteen 1-inch strips. Twist each one; arrange on a greased baking sheet in a tree shape. Repeat with the remaining dough, butter and green sugar crystals. Let rise 1 hour.
5

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes; cool. Frost with powdered sugar icing, if desired.