St. Nicholas Day, Chocolate Bread
A delectable bread, as rich as cake, to be served for tea.
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 inch piece vanilla bean grated, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
2 cups milk
3-1/2 cups flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts broken into bits
1/4 cup sesame seeds
In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter, stir in sugar and the vanilla bean if using
Combine egg and milk and add to the chocolate mixture.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir this into the chocolate mixture.
Beat until smooth
Add walnuts and sesame seeds and vanilla extract if substituting this for the grated vanilla bean.
Line 2 loaf pans with buttered wax paper
Divide dough and turn into the pans
Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean
Cool for 10 minutes, then turn loaves out on a wire rack, remove wax paper, and frost
Rum Frosting
Mix 2 cups confectioners sugar with 3-1/2 tbsp rum.
Spread over loaves and decorate with chocolate shot and candied cherry halves
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