Paul Hollywood's fruit loaf recipe

I was given Paul Hollywood's 'How To Bake' book from one of my friends at work, which came in handy because I need improve my bread making skills! 

I decided to choose the Fruit Loaf! It was delicious and perfect with a cuppa.

Ingredients

400g/14oz strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting 

1½ tsp salt 40g/1½oz caster sugar 
40g/1½oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
10g/¼oz fast-action dried yeast
120ml/4fl oz milk
50g/1¾oz sultanas
60g/2¼oz glacé cherries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 oranges, zest only

Method

Put the flour, salt, sugar, butter, yeast, milk and 120ml/4fl oz of water into a bowl and stick your hands in and give it a mix. 

When all the flour has been incorporated, tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and pliable.  

Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film and set aside to rest for an hour- I use an airing cupboard, or near a radiator.

Add the sultanas, cherries, cinnamon and orange zest (in mine I used lemon zest) to the dough and, using an electric mixer or your hands, work it in well. 

Shape the dough into a sausage shape by flattening out the dough and rolling it up. 

Put the dough on a greased baking tray. Slide the baking tray inside a plastic bag, to protect the dough from drafts, taking care not to allow the plastic bag to touch the top of the loaf. Leave to rise for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. 

Bake the dough for 25-30 minutes, then pop it on a wire rack to cool. A little tip is to know how bread is done, tap on the bottom, it should sound hollow.

While the loaf is cooling, make the water icing. Tip the icing sugar into a bowl, add a little water and mix well to form a paste. Gradually add more water until the icing is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Drizzle over the fruit loaf and to make it look extra pretty, sprinkle some zest.


Happy baking! H x