All posts tagged 'piced fruit loaf'

Christmas Spiced Fruit Loaf

December is just around the corner, which makes it the perfect time to start testing your Christmas baking skills, with a winter warmer recipe that's sure to fill your home with a gloriously festive aroma. To help you do just that, our featured recipe for this week is this Christmas Spiced Fruit Loaf, created by Sammie over at Feasting is Fun

Here at British Bakeware, we always look forward to seeing what delicious creations Sammie will be whipping up next, and luckily for us, the feeling is mutual. Sammie loves using our 3lb Farmouse Loaf Tin to bake savoury and sweet creations over on her blog, and this latest spiced loaf is sure to be a real treat for those who try it!

Filled with dried fruits and Christmas spices, this brioche style loaf is a treat for all the senses, from it's mouth-watering taste to its soft crumb texture!

To find out how to make this festive loaf as a pre-Christmas treat, or as your Christmas morning breakfast, check out the full details for Sammie's recipe here

Ingredients:

2 large, free range eggs
Approx 320mls of whole milk
1tsp caster sugar
7g of easy bake dried yeast
500g/1lb/2oz strong
50g/2oz unsalted butter - at room temp and cut into cubes (plus extra for greasing)
7g salt
1tsp vanilla bean paste
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2tsp allspice
100g/4oz medjool dates
100g/4oz dried cranberries
50g/2oz glacé cherries&nbsp
1 egg whisked with a teaspoon of water for egg wash

Step 1 - Measure out 320mls of milk into a microwavable jug, and zap on full power for 20 secs. Stir and check the temperature, which should be at body temperature. If it is a little too warm, leave to one side to cool.

Step 2 - Into the slightly warmed milk, add 2 whole eggs, which should create a total volume of 350 mls. Tip away an excess milk.

Step 3 - Pour the milk and eggs into the large bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 4 - Next add the sugar a yeast, before stirring with a spoon to break up the eggs and mix the ingredients.

Step 5 - Now add the flour on top of the liquid ingredients. This forms a barrier so that the yeast does not come into contact with the salt.

Step 6 - Add the salt and cubes of butter.

Step 7 - Fit the dough hook, and mix on a slow speed for 10 mins.

Step 8 - While this is mixing, prep the fruit. Remove the stones from the dates and cut in half, before cutting each half into 4 pieces. Cut the cherries into quarters, before placing the cherries, dates and cranberries in a bowl together.

Step 9 - After 10 mins, stop the mixer and lift the dough hook, and stretch a small piece of dough. It is properly kneaded when it can stretch without tearing, thinly enough to see light through it.

Step 10 - If the dough tears, lower the hook, and continue mixing for a further 2 minutes, after which test it again.

Step 11 - Once the dough passes the test, add the fruit and spices, before lowering the hook, and mixing on a low speed for a further 2 mins.

Step 12 - After the fruit is incorporated, stop the mixer and lift the dough hook.

Step 13 - Use clean hands to crape out the dough and place it into a bowl.

Step 14 - Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel, and place it somewhere warm, and away from drafts. Leave to double in size.

Step 15 - Due to the spices, the action of the yeast may slow, so this could take up to 2hrs or more.

Step 16 - While proving, thoroughly grease your loaf tin with butter.

Step 17 - Once the dough is ready, scrape onto a lightly floured surface.

Step 18 - Press the dough into a rough rectangular shape, folding the bottom third up, and the top third down, so that it slightly overlaps the previous fold.

Step 19 - Finally, tuck either side under, leaving you with an oval-ish shape. Place into the loaf tin, and cover with the tea towel again leaving to double in size once more.

Step 20 - While the dough is proving, preheat the over to 240C/22C fan, gas mark 8.

Step 21 - Once dough is ready, remove the towel and prush over the egg wash, using a pastry brush.

Step 22 - Place into the centre of a preheated oven, and bake for ten mins, before reducing to 220C/200C fan. Continue to bake for 20 mins.

Step 23 - Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack, and rap the base of the loaf with your knuckle. The bread is baked if it produces a hollow sound. If not, place back into the oven, and check every 5 mins until baked.

Products You May Find Helpful

3lb Farmhouse Loaf Tin

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Instructions:

Step 1- Take a measuring jug and crack the large free range egg in to it. Add the 320ml of whole milk in to make up to around 340ml in total with the egg. Beat together until well combined.

Step 2- Pour the mixture in to the bowl of a bread maker or a stand mixer, whatever you have to hand. Then add in the 1 tsp of honey and the sachet of fast action dried yeast.

Step 3-Next, take the 500g of white bread flour and add it to the mixture before adding the tsp of salt and the 75g of butter to the top of the flour.

Step 4-If you are using a bread maker, put it on to the dough cycle and add the ginger, cinnamon, and the dried fruit when you are encouraged to do so by the bread machine, or if you aren’t prompted, add it in around 5 minutes before the end.

Step 5- If you are using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook to it. Start mixing it on a medium speed until it is well combined. Stop to remove any dough that is caught on the hook before adding the spices and the dried fruit to the mixture. Mix for a further 5 minutes. Stop the process and again remove all the dough from the hook attachment. Shape the dough in to a ball and place back in to the mixer bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel and leave it in a cupboard for around 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

Step 6-Take your 3lb loaf tin and grease it with any of the remaining butter.

Step 7-If you are using the bread mixer, once it has finished the cycle, restart the machine so it can mix the dough again for around 2 minutes.

Step 8-If you are using the stand mixer, take the dough out of the cupboard once it has doubled in size and place it back in the mixer with the dough hook and place it on a medium speed for 2 minutes to knock back, or mix, the dough again.

Step 9- Dust your surface with some flour and tip the dough on to it. The dough should feel sticky. Shape the dough in to a shape that is suitable for the 3lb loaf tin you are using. Cover it again with a damp tea towel and allow it to double in size for about an hour.

Step 10- With about 10 minutes remaining, preheat your oven to 210 degrees celcius or 190 degrees celcius if you have a fan oven. Place the 3lb loaf tin in the middle of the oven and bake for about 30 minutes.

Step 11- You will be able to tell when the spiced fruit loaf has finished baking as it will have a delicious golden brown finish. The spiced fruit loaf will also sound hollow when you tap it on the bottom. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before serving. Enjoy this with spread of butter on top and nice cup of tea!