Christmas Bread

A slow fermented bread that has all the tastes of Christmas and is great on its own, with a Blue Cheese or toasted like a teacake.

Ingredients

(Pre Ferment)

175g Strong White Flour

5g Fresh Yeast (2 1/2g Dried)

125g Water at around 25c

Fruit Soaker

400g Mixed Fruit and Peel

100g Nuts (Optional)

50g Brandy or Whisky (Apple juice if you don’t want Alcohol)

Dough

220g Strong White Flour

100g Butter

75g Dark Brown Sugar

2 Beaten Eggs,

Mix the preferment ingredients together into a loose dough. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

At the same time mix the Fruit, Nuts (if used) and Liquid, stir through, cover and leave at room temperature overnight.

The next morning put the dough ingredients into the pre-ferment. and knead into a shiny, smooth dough. I recommend using a Food Mixer with a Dough Hook this could take 5-6 minutes.

Cover and leave to rise for 3 hours.

Turn out onto a floured surface and pat the dough into a rectangle around 20x25 centimetres. Spread the Fruit evenly over. Roll up towards you, then turn through 90 degrees and roll towards you again. Shape into a loaf shape and put into a buttered 2lb (900g) loaf tin.

Leave to rise for about 2 hours.

Place in a 200c oven and bake for 45 minutes. Turn onto a Cooling Rack.