I actually prefer (eating) bread to cake..and I had never had any fruit bread filled with dried fruit as much as this one before..so it easily attracted me to give a try on..
Ingredients:
7g sachet dried yeast 1/4 tsp sugar 315 ml warm water 450 g white bread flour 1/4 tsp salt 25g butter 1/2tsp ground ginger 1/4tsp grated nutmeg 90g caster sugar 320g sultanas 185g currants 45g mixed peel
Method:
1. place the yeast ,water and sugar (1/4 tsp) in a bowl and mix well .Leave for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.
2. Place the flour + salt in another bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the spice and 3/4 caster sugar. Make a well in the center and stir in the yeast mixture. Mix well until the dough comes together and leaves the side of the bowl clean.. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 mins. Place in a clean bowl ,cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and leave for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Note : I had to add a lot more of flour to the dough since it's very sticky and couldn't form the dough easily..what I suggest is to reduce the warm water to mix with the yeast to begin with..and add more water a little at a time later if the dough is too dried !
3. Knock down the dough and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface , add the fruits and knead until the fruit is incorporated. Shape the dough into a round and place on a greased baking tray. Cover with plastic wrap for another 30-40 mintues or until doubled (or almost) in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 200c. .Bake on the middle shelf for 40 minutes ,or until the loaf is nicely coloured and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Dissolve a remaining caster sugar with a tablespoon hot water and brush ove the loaf .Bake for 2-3 minutes ,then cool on a wire rack.
Dry ingredients..
Stir in the yeast mixture..
Leave to rise...
Knock down the dough and mix in the dried fruits...
The colour is so perfect ka.
I like eatting bread more than cake as well ka.