Fruit Bread

Instructions

Thermal Cooking Method

1. Place yeast and water into the mixing jug and mix for 1 minute/37ºC/speed 2. Ensure that all the yeast has dissolved, otherwise repeat for a further minute.
2. Add remaining bread ingredients and knead for 6 minutes. The trick with fluffy bread is to knead it for a quite a while.
3. Tip dough into a lightly floured bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm spot (but not direct sunlight) to prove until doubled in size.
4. Grease a bread tin with a little olive oil and line with baking paper.
5. Knock down dough and tip out onto a lightly floured surface. Add fruit ingredients and knead into the bread to mix in. Shape the dough into a loaf and place inside the tin.
6. Cover with a clean tea towel and again and leave to rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Now is the time to preheat the oven to 230ºC.
7. To check if the dough is ready to cook, gently press with your finger and if the dent remains it is ready to bake.
8. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn down the oven to 180ºC and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. To test if the bread is done it should sound hollow when tapped.
9. Remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack. Don't slice the bread until it is completely cold.

Traditional Cooing Method

1. Place yeast and water into a large bowl and mix together. Let this sit for 5 minutes or until yeast has dissolved.
2. Add all remaining bread ingredients and mix well to incorporate.
3. On a floured surface, tip out dough. Knead by hand for a minimum of 10 minutes. You'll get quite a workout because you need to do this well.
4. Tip out dough into a lightly floured bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm spot (but not direct sunlight) to prove until doubled in size.
5. Grease a bread tin with a little olive oil and line with baking paper.
6. Knock down dough and tip out onto a lightly floured surface. Add fruit ingredients and knead into the bread to mix in. Shape the dough into a loaf and place inside the tin.
7. Cover with a clean tea towel and again and leave to rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Now is the time to preheat the oven to 230ºC.
8. To check if the dough is ready to cook, gently press with your finger and if the dent remains it is ready to bake.
9. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn down the oven to 180ºC and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. To test if the bread is done it should sound hollow when tapped.
10. Remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack. Don't slice the bread until it is completely cold.