Cranberry Swirl Bread

While looking through the Taste of Home Annual Recipes for 2009, I came across this recipe. I remembered I still had some cranberries frozen in the freezer when they were on sale at Christmas and figured I should use them up sooner rather than later. This will be turned into French toast for either dinner on Friday or breakfast on Saturday.

Cranberry Swirl Bread-Taste of Home 2009
1 cup all purpose flour
2-2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup(or 5 tbsp butter)
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt

In a small saucepan, combine milk, water, butter and heat to 120-130 degrees. Meanwhile combine, yeast, flour and salt. Add in milk mixture and beat, slowly add in remaining flour until a soft dough forms(may not need all of the flour). Need for 6 mins using a dough hook or by hand until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place for 1 hr or until doubled.

Punch dough down and roll into a 20X10 inch rectangle.

While dough is rising, work on filling and allow to cool.

Filling:
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries(I kept mine whole)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped(omitted)
1 tbsp lemon juice(omitted)

Place cranberries, sugar, and water in smalls saucepan and and let simmer about 15 mins until cranberries start to pop. I did help mash some of the berries. Take off heat and add in lemon juice, walnuts, and butter. Allow to cool.

Spread over dough to within 1/2 inch of  the edge of the dough. Roll jelly-roll style starting with longer edge. Seal seam. Place in zig zag(or snake shape) into a bread pan loaf that has been greased. Move onto topping...

Topping:

2 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter, divided

Melt 1 tbsp butter. Combine sugar and flour, cut in 1 tbsp butter until crumbly. Brush melted butter over the top of "snake" and sprinkle topping over it. Cover "snake" and let rise for 40 mins. Bake at 350 for 40-45 mins until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

**This was excellent and it was so pretty too! K was throughly impressed with how good it looked and raved about how yummy it was, which isn't like him at all! I would like to try it with blueberries next time. Or any berry would work well!