Cherry Braid

from Sherri Van Patten

Sadie's Favorite -Cherry Braid
Requires 1/2 jar of cherry preserves and Basic Bread Dough
( adapted from Leslie Neville's Bread Recipe)

Basic Bread Dough

1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups flour (for desseets I use all white, but for bread and rolls I use 3 wheat and 1 white)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Use dough setting on bread machine, or proof yeast in water, then add rest of ingredients in order, mixing well after each addition. Knead. Let rise until doubled. Knead again.

Making Cherry Braid:

Roll out dough into a rectangle on floured surface. Spread 1/3 jar of cherry preserves down middle. Cut diagonal strips on either side 1" wide and 3" long. Braid sprips. Let rise again until doubled on greader 9X13 in cookie sheet. Bake at 350 drgrees for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to cool pan. When cool, spread with cherry icing: 1 heaping tablespoon cherry preserves mixed with 1 cup or so of powdered sugar. Sprinkle with water if needed to smooth icing. Or, butter while warm and sprinkle with raw sugar. I like mine plain right our of the oven.

Making Bread:
Shape (2 loaves, 4 mimi loaves, rolls sticky buns, pizza crust, bread sticks, cinnamon rolls, braid etc...
Let rise in/on oiled baking pans intil doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from pan and cool on rack.