ingredients
serves 4 - 5
2 tablespoons margarine
2 1/4 cups All purpose flour
1 cake (0.6 oz) yeast
4 tablespoons tepid milk
4 tablespoons tepid water
1 small egg, beaten
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup Confectioner’s sugar, sifted
3 candied cherries
method
1. Sift the flour into a bowl.
2. Rub in the margarine.
3. Cream the yeast with a little of the tepid milk then mix with the rest of the milk and water.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the yeast liquid and the egg. Mix well.
5. Knead for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic and leaves your fingers and the sides of the bowl clean.
6. Lightly grease or oil the inside of a large polythene bag.
7. Slip the bowl of dough into the bag and leave in the ordinary warmth of the kitchen - not near direct heat or boiler - for 30 minutes to 1 hour, for the dough to rise. (The dough should double in size, so watch it during this time and don't leave it any longer than necessary.)
8. Remove from bag. Knead the superfine sugar and salt into the risen dough,
9. Divide the dough into three equal parts. Roll each part into a fat sausage shape.
10. Seal the three sausage shapes together at one end. Plait them together then seal the other end.
11. Put the plait on a lightly greased baking sheet. Leave to prove (rise again) for about 15 minutes - the plait should look plump and swollen.
12. Preheat oven to hot, 220°C (425°F).
13. Bake the plait in the centre of the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until bread is golden and sounds slightly hollow when tapped on the base.
14. Leave the plait to cool.
15. Mix the Confectioner’s sugar with enough cold water to give a mixture which will thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon.
16. Spoon the icing on to the top of the plait. Decorate with halved candied cherries.
17. Allow the icing to set before you serve the plait.
If planning to freeze Cherry plait, do not ice until it has thawed and is ready to eat.
