Orange Cranberry Cornmeal Bread

This is one of my favorite breads of recent times. It is delicious lightly toasted and smeared with butter. The orange flavor really comes through when toasted, and the cranberries make a really pretty loaf.

Orange Cranberry Cornmeal Bread
2 tsp. yeast
1 1/3 cups water
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 Tbsp. softened butter
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup wheat flour
3 cups bread flour
1 cup dried cranberries
Glaze
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water or milk

Heat the water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF. Pour into warmed mixing bowl, and add yeast. Let stand 5 minutes.

Add sugar, cornmeal, butter, orange zest, salt, wheat flour and half the bread flour. Beat well. Cover, and let stand 15 minutes.

Add remaining bread flour. Knead the dough until soft and springy but soft to the touch. Knead in the cranberries. Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Turn dough onto lightly greased or floured surface, and punch dough down. Shape dough into a loaf, and place in greased 9 x 5 bread pan.  Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Combine egg and water/milk for glaze, and brush over top of dough. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until golden.Cool on a wire rack.