Festive Fruit Soda Bread

3 cups warm water
3/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
3/4 cup chopped dried Calimyrna figs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 large egg
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through baking soda) in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (Flour mixture and butter can also be combined in a food processor; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.) Add reserved fruit; toss well to combine. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine the buttermilk, orange rind, lemon rind, and egg in a bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Let stand 2 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly for 1 minute with floured hands. Divide the dough in half; shape each half into an 8 x 4-inch oval loaf. Place the loaves on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 1 lengthwise cut 3/4-inch-deep across the top of each loaf using a sharp knife. Brush the loaves with 2 teaspoons milk; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° (do not remove the bread from oven); bake an additional 25 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and sound hollow when tapped. Remove the loaves from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 2 loaves (serving size: 12 servings per loaf)

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