Rustic Fruit Loaf

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups of bakers flour

• 1 tablespoon dried yeast

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons raw sugar

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon dried ginger

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• glug of olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups of hot milk

• 1 cup of sultanas

METHOD:

• Chuck everything in the bowl except the sultanas and mix until it comes together to make a dough that “cleans” the bowl I used the kitchen aid mixer with the dough hook, but you can mix it by hand too. You may need to add some hot water if that isn’t enough hot milk to make it come together as a dough. (don’t be caught up on measuring the liquid exactly as flours change by brand and humidity. It’s more important that you add “enough” hot milk or water to form a dough that doesn’t stick to the bowl.)

• Mix for 5 mins on low speed in the mixer.

• Shape the dough into a ball and olive oil a small amount back into the bowl. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover. Set in a warm space to rise for 1 1/2 hours.

• Tip the dough out and roll it into a log shape to fit your banneton or the side of an egg carton works well too.

• Dust your banneton with flour and put the log shaped dough into it. Cover again and rise for 1 hour.

• Preheat your oven to bloody hot. 220 celsius. It should smell like the last thing you cooked before you bake. Also, put an old deep sided baking tray in the very bottom of the oven to get hot.

• Tip your bread out onto a normal baking tray with a little bit of olive oil on the bottom. Make a slit down the middle of the bread and place into the stinking hot oven. While the oven is open, quickly, add about a cup of hot water to the baking pan in the bottom of the oven. It should hiss. This creates a lot of steam and helps the bread rise quickly and makes a good crust.

• Bake for around 25 mins, give or take depending on your oven. Your nose will tell you when it’s ready and the house will smell so good!