Christmas Fruit Bread

I have developed this bread recipe over the years for something to go with my cheese course on Christmas day, Packed full of dried cranberries, dates, orange zest and walnuts it’s full of the flavours of Christmas it’s a great way tpo finish the most important meal of the year. Your family will love it and it’s great for breakfast as well.

500g strong white flour

350g whole milk

8g dried yeast

2g salt

75g diced dates

50g dried cranberries

50g walnuts

1 orange zest grated

To start make a plain bread dough by mixing the flour, yeast, milk and sugar in a mixing bowl for 10 minuets on a medium speed. Once the dough is made hand kneed in the fruit and nuts until it is all incorporated into the dough. place in an oiled bowl and allow to prove for an hour and a half (all of the fruit will mean it takes longer for the dough to prove). Once the first prove is finished knock back the dough and shape it into an oval and place onto well floured baking paper. Again, let the dough prove for a further 90 minutes and bake in a pre-heated oven at 210c for 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 160c and bake for a further 20 minutes. This will give your bread a deep thick crust.