Barm Brack
- Two 1/4-oz/7-g packets active dry yeast
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 4 1/2 cups/450 g flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup/150 g sultanas (golden raisins)
- 1 cup/150 g dried currants
- 1/2 cup/40 g candied orange peel or lemon peel (or a combination), finely chopped
- Put the yeast and 1 Tbsp of the sugar into a medium bowl and gradually stir in 2 cups of warm water (about 100F/40C).
- Set aside for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes frothy.
- Meanwhile, rub the butter into the flour in a large bowl until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Stir in 4 Tbsp of the sugar, the ginger, nutmeg, salt, sultanas, currants, and candied peel.
- Make a well in the center, pour in the yeast mixture, and stir the liquid into the flour in a spiral motion, from the middle outward, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until elastic and just slightly sticky, about 5 minutes.
- Put the dough into a large greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm place for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface again and knead lightly for a minute or two, then shape it into a large round or oval and put it on a lightly greased baking sheet.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450F/230C (Gas Mark 8).
- Bake the bread for 15 minutes.
- Tent with foil, then reduce the oven temperature to 350F/175C (Gas Mark 4) and bake about 40 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Dissolve the remaining 1 Tbsp of sugar in 1 Tbsp of hot water and brush over the loaf.
- Return the loaf to oven for 5 to 7 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
yeast, sugar, butter, flour, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, salt, sultanas, currants, candied orange
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/barm-brack-2 (may not work)