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To present this bread to its full advantage, I recommend the braided method. Be sure to have braiding experience or draft somebody who does. Be sure to dampen hands before braiding the dough.

-- Bob Hoover

• 3 cups bread flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange or lemon extract
• 2 large beaten eggs
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups dried sweetened cranberries
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 well-beaten egg for glaze

In bowl of stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Using paddle attachment, mix in milk, butter, flavor extract and eggs, adding just enough water to make a ball of soft dough.

Fit the dough hook and knead 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, adding only enough flour to remove stickiness or water to keep it smooth and soft. Alternately, dough can be mixed and kneaded by hand on a floured surface.

Knead in cranberries until well distributed, then add walnut pieces, working them in evenly. These additions can be done in mixer bowl with dough hook or by hand on floured surface. Finish by shaping dough into a ball, adding any cranberries or walnuts that fall off.

Oil a large bowl, place dough in and roll around to coat with oil. Cover tightly and allow dough to rise at room temperature until it doubles, about 2 hours.

Place dough on floured surface. To make a decorative loaf, divide dough into 6 pieces, 3 of about 10 ounces each and 3 of about 4 ounces each. Using hands, roll larger pieces into 9-inch long strands and smaller pieces into 7-inch-long strands.

Braid the longer pieces into a loaf and do the same with the shorter ones.

Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil and spray with oil. Place the larger loaf on the bottom and center the smaller braid on top. Brush with egg wash.

Dough also can be placed in standard loaf pans to make 2 loaves of conventionally formed bread.

Leaving dough uncovered, proof it at room temperature until it doubles in bulk, about 90 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Bake for 25 minutes in middle rack, then rotate sheet pan half way around and continue to bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. For purists, its internal temperature should be at least 185 degrees. Remove to a rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Makes 1 large loaf.

-- Bob Hoover

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