Just imagine - a cold winter morning, a warm snuggly blanket pulled over your lap, a steaming cup of hot cocoa, a slice or two of hot aromatic spiced fruit toast with great slathers of melting butter.... Sounds heavenly, doesn't it?? It's not winter yet, but here's a recipe for that delicious fruit bread you're now dreaming about - if you start practicing how to make it now then you'll have the recipe memorised ready for that winter morning in a few months!
This fruit bread is satisfyingly filling, just like your great-grandmother would have enjoyed!
The Ingredients
I usually use khorosan (Kamut) flour, but you can also just use normal plain or bread flour. The oats add extra fibre and nutrition, and add to the texture of the bread.
If you like your spices to be stronger, you can always add more!
You can use any dried fruit in here, really. I usually use sultanas or raisins, but try it with diced dried apricots, figs, dates, citrus peel, a fruity combination.... or anything else you might fancy - even choc chips!
Fruit Bread
Ingredients:
400g flour
100g quick oats
10g salt
10g yeast
1½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
35g honey
100g yoghurt
220g water
1 cup sultanas/raisins
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except sultanas in a large bowl. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, then leave to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a loaf pan with baking paper.
Place sultanas in glass heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and soak for 5 minutes to soften the sultanas. Drain and pat sultanas dry with a towel or paper towels.
Gently knead sultanas into the dough in four additions, taking care not to over-knead. Shape dough into a loaf, place in lined loaf pan, and rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until well golden. Remove loaf from oven and immediately spread crust with butter (this ensures the crust will be softer). Remove loaf from pan and cool on wire rack.
Cooking time: 60 mins
Serves: 4-8
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