South of France "Fruit Cake" - Fougasse

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Dry Yeast
• 5 oz Warm Milk
• 1 (3 1/2 cup) Bread Flour
• 3 tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 6 Eggs (beaten and warm)
• 1/2 lb Butter (softened)
• 1 Lemon Grind (grated very fine)
• 4 teaspoons Poppy Seeds
• 2 tablespoons Crystallized Sugar
• Egg Wash (2 yolks beaten with 2 tsp. water)

Steps:

1. --Proof yeast in milk and 1 tsp. sugar --Incorporate rest of sugar and flour in bowl --Add eggs to yeast mixture, mixing throughly and set aside to rise to triple the size --Knock down dough and mix in softened butter throughly
2. --Add lemon peel and poppy seeds --Refrigerate at least 2 hours until dough is chilled --Remove from refrigerator and devide in half --Shape into long loaves or braid --Let rise to double the size --Brush with Egg wash and sprinkle with Crystallized sugar
3. --Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in convection oven.