We have lost many a friend because of my breads, so you can naturally understand my fear of baking bread. But I guess I was going through a fearless phase of my life during last X’mas, because I decided to celebrate the year end with yeasted breads.
And surprisingly they came out fine! And more surprisingly, I liked them. (As a rule, I don’t like anything I make. I am my biggest critic).
This dense fruit bread was from the book ‘The Essential Book of Baking’ by Murdoch books. This book is my main baking guru. I have tried a lot of recipes from this book and till now I have never had a failure.
This is my first entry for Blogging Marathon 25, a very special edition for all marathoners! This is under the theme ‘Cooking from Cook Books’.
Recipe Source: The Essential Baking Book
Makes: 3 small breads or 1 large
Ingredients:
- All purpose Flour : 3 1/2 cups
- Yeast : 2 tsp
- Warm water : 1 1/4 cup
- Sugar : 1 tsp
- Raisins : 1 cup
- Tutti Frutti : 1/2 cup( or mixed peel)
- Butter : 25 gm
- Caster Sugar : 1/3 cup
- Ground Ginger : 1/2 tsp
- Salt : 1/4 tsp
Method:
- Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and leave aside for 10 minutes to foam up. If the yeast doesn’t foam, your loaf will be hard, so discard and start again with a fresh batch.
- In a big bowl, add the ap flour, salt and ground ginger. Rub in the butter with your finger tips till you get a crumb like consistency. Add 3/4 th of the caster sugar and mix. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture. Bring everything together into a dough and knead for 10 minutes in a slightly floured surface till you get a smooth elastic ball consistency.
- Place this in a clean, well oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rest for an hour or so, until the dough doubles in size.
- Take out the dough, add the fruits and knead for a couple minutes until its all incorporated well. Shape into a large loaf (I shaped into three small loafs) and leave to rise for about 40 minutes, until it doubles up in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200C and bake the bread for 40 minutes until its golden in color and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Let the bread cool.
- Mix the remaining caster sugar with a tablespoon of hot water. Brush this over the loaf. I baked this for 2 more minutes per the instructions, but the icing sugar turned all white and I had to rub it off.
- Slice and serve.
OMG bread looks so yumm and colorfull Rajani and soft too. Picture looks so beautiful..
LikeLike
Looks really good! Love the colors :)
LikeLike
Awesome look fabulous
LikeLike
Oh my, that really looks so fantastic Rajani, you really take these in P&S?..wow..they look so good girl..and the bread..no words..great picture..and you wont’ loose these friends yaar..we love your baked stuff remember!
LikeLike
Thanks Valli :). This particular one was taken with dSLR, else almost everything is with P&S.
LikeLike
What a stunner.
LikeLike
I have fallen in love with that last click Rajani.Can’t take my eyes off it. Now I want to bake it too.Let’s see how its gona turn out…
LikeLike
looks yum !! I always fall short of the browning on top, no matter what bread / bun I make.. love tutti frutti buns..
must take a photo tutorial / skype session from you, Rajani as to getting that coveted browning on top, even without milk or egg wash…
Kalyani
Sizzling Tastebuds
2nd blog Anniversary + Giveaway ends 28th Feb
Event : Winter Foods : 30 min Challenge
LikeLike
The last image of that bread slice with specs of colorful tutti frutti looks amazing.
LikeLike
The bread has come out perfectly. As usual, love your presentation and clicks..
LikeLike
Thats something I have in my mind and should attempt before I exhaust my precious batch of tutti frutti :)
LikeLike
Thats a beautiful bread,very catchy and festive.
LikeLike
this bread looks so amazing – very similar to one I did a few months back – all the fruits must make it so delicious
LikeLike