Holiday Bear Bread

This is from a Pillsbury Holiday Pamphlet Book "Classics IV" - 1985. Usually I say before 1980 is Vintage but really, that was 24 years ago! Plus I couldn't resist. This is the Honey Bear Bread and it is a very elaborate recipe. I really think you could do this with the biscuits in a tube, even with the glaze. (You would glaze and just stick it in the oven for a couple more minutes rather than follow the directions here.) See what you think:

6 - 6 1/2 cups Pillsbury's BEST All Purpose or Unbleached Flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 pkg. active dry yeast

1 cup milk

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup margarine or butter

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Glaze:

1/4 cup margarine or butter

2 tablespoons honey

Chocolate chips, raisins, icing or assorted candies

Ribbon

Grease 2 large cookie sheets. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon and yeast; blend well. In small saucepan, heat milk, water and 1/2 cup margarine until very warm (120 - 130 F). Add warm liquid, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in 3 cups flour to form a stiff dough. (Workout city.) On floured surface, knead in 1 - 1 1/2 cups flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 - 85F) (Where would that be?) until light and doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. (Again, more working out.) To form 4 bears divide dough into 4 equal parts. To shape each bear, divide 1 part in half. Shape 1 half into smooth oval ball for bear's body; place on prepared cookie sheet. Cut remaining half of dough into 2 equal parts. Pinch two 1-inch balls from 1 part for bear's ears; shape remaining dough into smooth round ball for bear's head and attach to body. Flatten 1-inch balls for ears and position on head. Cut remaining part of dough into 4 equal pieces; shape into arms and legs and attach to bear's body. Cover with cloth towel; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 30 - 40 minutes. (I'm tired typing this, let alone making it!)

Heat oven to 350 F. Bake 15 - 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine margarine and honey. Remove breads from oven; brush generously with glaze. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 - 7 minutes or until glaze is set and loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. (I'm not kidding - it really says that!) Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired and tie ribbon bow around each neck. 4 breads; 4 servings each. (Really? Big servings - but of course you burned off a lot making this...)