CHRISTMAS TREE BREAD

CHRISTMAS TREE BREAD
>INGREDIENTS:
>2/3 cup milk
>1/2 cup granulated sugar
>1 large egg, yolk and white separated
>3/4 cup (4 ounces) diced dried fruit mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose
>flour
>1 tablespoon baking powder
>1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
>(or 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon & 3/4 tsp ground cloves) 1/2 teaspoon
>salt
>1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut to small pieces Granulated
>sugar
>DIRECTIONS:
>Check to see that one rack is in bottom third of oven and heat oven to
>425 degrees F.
>Measure milk in a 2-cup measure,add sugar and egg yolk, stir to mix
>well.
>Stir in dried fruit.
>Let stand until ready to use. Put flour, baking powder, spice, and salt
>into a large bowl, stir to mix well.
>Add butter and cut in with pastry blender or rub in with fingers,
>until mixture looks like fine granules.
>Stir milk mixture and pour over flour mixture. Stir with a fork until a
>soft dough forms.
>Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and give 10 kneads. (If
>very sticky, let stand 3 or 4 minutes or add a little more flour.)
>Cut off about one-fourth of the dough.
>Put remaining dough on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 16 inches
>long.
>Using both rolling pin and fingers, pat and roll dough into a flat
>triangle about 12 inches long and 9 inches wide across the bottom.
>With scissors, make about ten diagonal cuts down each long side of
>the triangle, cutting to within about 1 inch of the center.
>Shape a small piece of reserved dough into a trunk at bottom of tree
>and remaining dough into a "pot." Dough may now be covered with
>plastic wrap and
>refrigerated for a couple of hours or frozen for up to 2 weeks. Bake
>tree 10 minutes.
>Beat egg white with a fork until broken up. Brush over hot bread,
>sprinkle with sugar. Bake 5 to 8 minutes longer, until light brown.
>With two spatulas, carefully transfer tree to a wire rack. If possible,
>cool at least 2 hours before serving. Let guests break off small
>pieces.
>Yield: 10-12 Small Servings