PLUM BUTTER BREAD

Steps:

• For plum butter, in a saucepan combine plums, water, and lemon juice; bring to boiling then reduce heat.
• Simmer, covered, 40 minutes. remove from heat; stir in honey.
• Cool, place in a food processor bowl and process until smooth.
• Cover and set aside.
• In a bowl stir together 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, yeast, and cardamom.
• Heat milk, 1/2 cup butter, sugar, and salt until warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F).
• Add to flour mixture along with eggs and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
• Beat on high speed 3 minutes.
• Stir in whole wheat flour and as much remaining all-purpose flour as you can.
• On a floured surface, knead in enough remaining all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 6 to 8 minutes). Place in a greased bowl, cover; let rise until double (about 1 hour).
• Turn out onto a floured surface, divide in half.
• Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll each half into a 12x7-inch rectangle and spread each with 1/2 cup of the plum butter to within 1 inch of edges.
• Sprinkle with nuts and cinnamon.
• Roll up; seal and place loaves, seam down, in two greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.
• Cover; let rise until nearly double (30 to 45 minutes).
• Bake in a 350 degree F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove from pans, brush with melted butter.
• Cool., serve with remaining plum butter.
• Makes 2 loaves (32 servings).
• Make-Ahead Tips: Transfer remaining prune butter to freezer container; seal, label, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before serving. Cool loaves completely. Wrap bread in foil and place in airtight freezer containers or plastic freezer bags; seal, label, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw bread for 2 hours at room temperature.