Name: Spiced fruit loaf
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: Makes 2 x 2lb loaves, each cuts into 8 slices
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 450g strong white flour plus extra for dusting; 2 x 7g sachets easy-blend yeast; 50g caster sugar; 150ml warm milk; 1 egg beaten; 50g unsalted butter melted, plus extra for greasing; oil for greasing; 1½ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 50g dried apricot chopped; 50g dried fig chopped; 50g pitted date chopped; 50g sultana; 50g glacé cherry chopped; juice 1 orange

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Spiced fruit loaf

Spiced fruit loaf

James Martin

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Makes 2 x 2lb loaves, each cuts into 8 slices

More effort

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Plus soaking, rising and proving

A star rating of 3.4 out of 5.32 ratingsRate

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A treat when freshly baked and spread with butter, then try it toasted for breakfast the next day

Freezable

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Alternatives

Complete the dish

Showing items 1 to 3 of 3

Spiced hot cross buns

A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.70 ratings

Apricot & almond Chelsea buns

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.16 ratings

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

For the dough

450g strong white flour

plus extra for dusting
2 x 7g sachets easy-blend yeast
50g caster sugar
150ml warm milk
1 egg

beaten
50g unsalted butter

melted, plus extra for greasing
oil

for greasing

For the spices

1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

For the dried fruit

50g dried apricot

chopped
50g dried fig

chopped
50g pitted date

chopped
50g sultana
50g glacé cherry

chopped
juice 1 orange

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Nutrition: per slice

kcal190
fat4g

low
saturates2g
carbs36g
sugars14g
fibre2g
protein5g
salt0.35g

low

Method

step 1

Soak the dried fruits in the orange juice for about 30 mins, then sieve, reserving the juice.
step 2

Put the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl with the spices and soaked fruit and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, reserved orange juice, the beaten egg and the melted butter. Mix everything together to form a dough – start with a wooden spoon and finish with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add a little more warm water; if it’s too wet, add more flour.
step 3

Knead in the bowl or on a floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and springy. Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until roughly doubled in size – this will take about 1 hr depending on how warm the room is.
step 4

Knock the dough back by kneading for a few secs. Dust 2 x 2lb loaf tins with flour. Halve the dough. Use a little flour to help you shape each half into a smooth oval, then pop them into the tins. Cover both loosely with a clean, damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for about 20 mins. Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
step 5

Bake for 20 mins, then cool in the tins before turning out and slicing.

RECIPE TIPS

DON'T HAVE TWO LOAF TINS?

Just shape the fruit loaf dough into 2 round or oval loaves and sit them on a flour-dusted baking sheet before proving and baking.

MORE EASTER BAKING

Use the same basic dough to make Chelsea buns and Hot cross buns - see 'Goes well with' recipes.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2010

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A star rating of 3.4 out of 5.32 ratings

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