1/4 cup water
2 packages yeast
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tsps salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsps cardamon
7 3/4 cups bread flour
2 cups dried (candied) fruit
1 cup raisins

Proof the yeast in the water. Put sugar, butter, salt, and milk into mixing bowl and beat until the butter is creamed. Add beaten eggs and yeast to milk mixture. Add cardamon. Mix until blended. Gradually start adding flour 1/2 cup at a a time until the dough is stiff and won't take any more flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured board or cloth. Knead the fruit into the bread. Place in a buttered bowl and brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise until double in size (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch down and divide into 3 equal parts. Shape loaves and place in buttered loaf pans. Let rise again until double in size. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 450 deg. for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Cool, glaze with melted powder sugar (powdered sugar and melted butter).