WHOLEMEAL OFFICE BRACK

Makes 1 x 900g loaf

You will need:

• 320g combination of sultanas, raisins, currants • 350ml strong black tea • 220g wholewheat flour (use sprouted flour, if you like) • 2 teaspoons baking powder • Pinch of flaky sea salt • 120g light muscovado sugar • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 large egg and 1 extra egg yolk • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste • Zest of 1 orange 1 Soak your little army of dried fruit in the cold strong black tea overnight. Hot tea may sound preferable, but you’ll end up with no soaking liquid, resulting in a drier dough. 2 The next morning, fire up your oven to 170°C, 340°F, Gas 3. In a large bowl, tumble in the wholewheat flour, the baking powder, the pinch of flaky sea salt, the light muscovado sugar, the ground mixed spice and the cinnamon. Rake through carefully. 3 In a cup, quickly beat the whole egg and the egg yolk together. Add the vanilla bean paste and the orange zest. Beat once more, before adding this mixture to the bowl containing the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices mixture. Mix everything together as best you can. 4 At this point, let the soaked fruit join the party. Mix thoroughly until lusciously glossy. 5 Scrape the brack mixture into a loaf tin. Ideally, a 900g one. Bake the brack for 55 minutes. Remove it from the oven once it is cooked, and leave it to cool down in the tin for 20 minutes before unveiling onto a wire rack. Serve it fresh, or toasted with a scrape of butter.