Winter spiced bread

My New Year's breakfast started around eleven in bed with some warm toasted cinnamon and raisin bread and much needed lashings of sweet homemade jams.

This is an easy loaf to make and a good way to use up your leftover ingredients from christmas cakes and puddings and whilst it bakes you can enjoy the spicy chrismassy smells filling the house once more.

When I am only baking one or two real bread loaves, I much prefer to shape the loaves raher than use a tin and fruit bread looks so pretty in a round ring with little dainty slices that are so incredibly moreish. Tip: To keep the middle from closing in during the prove, I used a little jam jar.

Recipe:

400g White strong flour

100g Light Rye

 10g fresh yeast (or 5 grams of dry / or 1 tsp)

 10g salt

350g water

250g raisins / mixed peel / nuts (whatever you have)

1 generous tspn cinnamon

Method:

1) Mix together to form the dough
2) No knead method means folding every 20 minutes x 4
3) Check gluten window by lightly stretching the dough until you can see through but it does not break easily.
4) Leave to ferment for 1 hour
5) Shape & mould into a round. Use your elbow to press down the centre of the round to make a ring shape. Place your little glass jar inside to hold the shape.
6) Prove for 1-2hrs or until doubled in size
7) Bake for at least 45 mins at 210 (fruit breads don't need such a high heat)

This loaf will keep all week and is excellent toasted.