Freckle Bread (Red Hots)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water, lukewarm
• 1/2 cup milk, lukewarm
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup red-hot candies

Directions

1. 1

   Combine all dough ingredients except cinnamon candies and mix and knead together -by hand, mixer or bread machine- until you have a soft, piable dough.

2. 2

   Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes to one hour or until full and round. To test, poke dough with index finger approximately 1/2 inch deep. If the impression remains, the dough has sufficiently risen.

3. 3

   Gently deflate the dough, and pat into a 8" x 10" rectangle. Knead in the cinnamon candies in 3 stages, using about 1/3 of the candies each time.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased or parchment lined 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan. Tent the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 40-50 minutes. Dough should just crest the top of the pan.

5. 5

   If making buns, divide the dough evenly into 9 pieces and shape into smooth, round balls. Place buns in greased 9x9" square pan. Tent the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes. Buns will be full, puffy and barely touching one another.

6. 6

   Bake bread (or buns) in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for buns). If bread browns too quickly on top, tent loosely with aluminium foil. Place pan over parchment or foil lined cookie sheet to catch any drips of hot candy. Bread is done when internal temperature reads 190 degrees on an instant thermometer.

7. 7

   Remove bread from pan and allow to cool on wire rack. Place rack over a piece of parchment to catch any drips of hot candy. Candy will set as bread cools.