Cherry Pull-Apart Bread

Name: Cherry Pull-Apart Bread
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Ingredients: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed; 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and finely chopped; 2 tablespoons maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; 1 tube (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated flaky biscuits (8 count); ICING:; 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon butter, softened; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; 2 to 3 teaspoons water; 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted and chopped; 1 tablespoon maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling YIELD: 8 servings.

Every year I make a huge batch of my cherry bread —some goes to friends as a special treat, and the rest we enjoy as part of our Christmas breakfast. Refrigerated biscuits give the texture of scones to a pretty loaf that's much quicker than yeast bread made from scratch. —Beverly Batty, Forest Lake, Minnesota

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and finely chopped
2 tablespoons maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tube (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated flaky biscuits (8 count)
ICING:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds, cherries and extract until crumbly and well blended.
2. Split biscuits horizontally in half. Line bottom of a greased 8x4-in. loaf pan with three biscuit halves. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons crumb mixture over biscuits; press gently into dough.
3. Place remaining biscuit halves on a lightly floured surface. Top each with remaining crumb mixture; press gently to adhere. Stack seven of the topped biscuits; place stack sideways at one end of the pan, facing crumb sides inward. Repeat with remaining six biscuits, placing stack at opposite end of pan, again facing crumb sides inward.
4. Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a serving plate.
5. For icing, mix confectioners' sugar, butter, extract and enough water to reach a drizzling consistency. Spoon over warm bread. Top with almonds and cherries.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 319 calories, 15g fat (7g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 511mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 2g fiber), 5g protein.