Recipe: Jamaican Cherry Ginger Bread

Jamaican Cherry Ginger Bread

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups bread flour, divided
2/3 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
OR
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Put milk and butter in a medium saucepan; heat until warm (105 to 115 degrees). Pour milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add yeast; stir until dissolved. Add brown sugar, lime juice and salt; mix well. Add 2 cups bread flour. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer until flour is moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Stir in remaining 1-1/4 cups bread flour, coconut, dried cherries, lime peel and ginger; mix until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding more bread flour, if needed. Place dough in a greased mixing bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth. Let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 degrees) about 1 hour, or until double in size.

Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Let rest 15 minutes. Shape into a loaf. Place in a greased 8-1/2 4-1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in a warm place 45 to 60 minutes, or until double in size.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden and loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pan immediately. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

To toast coconut: Spread coconut in an ungreased pan. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden brown.