Summer Fruit Bread

Last summer I made jar after jar of Italian prune plum jam.  The flavor was pretty wonderful, but most of it was just too soft, more of a topping than a jam.  (The batch I spur of the moment added cocoa powder to and turned into chocolate plum jam, however, was perfect!)  I gave a little away, but rather apologetically, saying it was "like an ice cream topping, really", and I wonder if anyone even opened the jars I gave them, because I probably had the same look on my face as if I'd tried to foist several dozen overgrown zucchini on them. 

Now it's the middle of  August and I still have a dozen jars of it left (and also half a dozen jars of salsa) and the tomatoes, pears and plums (and yes, zucchini), not to mention beans and other produce items are about ready to need those jars.

This is one of my solutions.  This recipe will work for whatever fruit jam you don't particularly don't want to spread on toast at your house; just add a tablespoon or two of water if it's very thick.

This is a fine textured, slightly sweet, very flavorful bread, with a great aroma you notice as soon as you open the front door.    

Summer Fruit Bread Ingredients

1 1/2 c. all fruit jam; I used plum
2/3 c. water
2 tbsp. yeast
2 c. whole wheat flour; I use stone ground, malted
2 c. white bread flour


1 stick melted, cooled butter
2 egg yolks (for a fine crumb)
1 1/8 c. (approx.) bread flour
3/4 c. dried cranberries

Blend the jam and water in a blender until smooth.  Mix the other ingredients together thoroughly and cover with greased wax paper.  Let rise at least three hours and preferably four to develop flavor and help digestibility.

At the end of the rising period, mix in the melted, cooled butter, two egg yolks and one cup of bread flour.  Add the dried cranberries.  Turn out onto a breadboard and begin to knead, sprinkling on just a bit of flour at a time, maybe a couple tablespoons.  Knead approximately 5-10 minutes.  Do not knead all the stickiness out of it.  You should only have to add about 1/8 c. total additional flour after the one you added with the butter and egg.  Shape into a log and place on a greased pan.  Make ten or so diagonal slits in it, as above.  Cover with greased wax paper.  Let rise one hour or until doubled in bulk.

Place in 425 degree oven and cook approximately 40 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool.  Do not cut open for 15 minutes because the moisture from within needs to move outwards and the dryness form without needs to move in.  The texture will be very much improved if you can leave the bread alone during this time.

Enjoy it; it does not even need butter or jam, since both are in it!