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DIRECTIONS

Use 2 large (9"-x-5") or 4 small (7"-x-3") loaf pans, greased.
IF USING A MIXER - In a large mixing or mixer bowl combine 2 cups flour, the hot milk, and yeast. When the flour and milk are well blended, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature to ferment and bubble for 2 hours.
Lightly beat the egg and add to the mixture. Add the sugar, salt, and butter. Beat well by hand, about 50 strokes, or for 2 minutes with the mixer flat beater. Continue beating and adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is soft and no longer sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and knead with a rhythmic and strong push-turn-fold motion, or in the mixer bowl with the dough hook, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If moisture persists in breaking through, add sprinkles of flour.
IF USING A PROCESSOR - Mix the flour, milk, and yeast as above.
Scrape the flour-milk mixture into the processor work bowl and add the egg, sugar, salt, and butter. Pulse to blend into a thick batter.
Add 1/2 cup flour to the work bowl, either through the feed tube or by removing the cover, and pulse several times to blend before adding more flour. When the dough has formed a rough ball and is carried around the bowl by the force of the blade, the kneading has begun.
Let the machine run for 50 seconds.
When the dough is turned out of the bowl it may be more sticky than when done by hand. Dust liberally with flour as you form it into a ball.
Let the dough rest under a cloth or a length of wax paper for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the cherries, candied fruit, dates, and nuts together in a bowl and sprinkle with flour to keep the pieces separate.
Press the dough flat with the hands, and sprinkle about half of the fruit-nut mixture over it. Turn the edges of the dough over the fruit and nuts and fold the mixture into the body of the dough. Again press flat; sprinkle on the balance of the mixture. Knead until the mixture is well distributed throughout the dough.
Return the dough to the large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
(If a new fast-rising yeast is used and at the recommended higher temperatures, reduce rising times by half.)
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead briefly to press out the bubbles. With a knife or dough blade divide the dough. Shape into balls and let rest for 5 minutes.
Form each loaf by pressing the dough into a flat oval, roughly the length of the baking pan. Fold each oval in half, pinch the seam tightly to seal, tuck under the ends, and place in the pan, seam down.
Cover the pans with wax or parchment paper and leave at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350° about 20 minutes before baking.
Brush the loaves with the egg-milk wash, and place the 12 glacéed cherries and whole nut meats in a random pattern over the top of the loaves.
Bake in a moderate oven until the loaves are a deep brown, 50 minutes. Turn one loaf out of its pan and tap the bottom with a forefinger. If it sounds hard and hollow, it is done. If the tops of the loaves appear to be browning too quickly, cover with a piece of foil or brown sack paper. Midway during baking and again at the end, shift the pans so they are exposed equally to temperature variations in the oven.
(If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50°.)
Remove the bread from the oven. Slip the hot loaves carefully from the pans and leave on wire racks until they are cool.