Grape & dark chocolate panettone loaf

SERVES 10 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME)

¾ cup (180ml) milk, lukewarm

2 teaspoons (7g) dried yeast

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

5 cups (800g) bread flour

1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

3 eggs

4 egg yolks

180g butter, softened

¼ cup (40g) finely chopped candied orange peel

450g red grapes, separated into small clusters ½ cup (125ml) Pedro Ximenez (sweet sherry) ½ cup (125ml) fresh orange juice

200g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

1 egg white, beaten lightly

2 tablespoons demerara sugar 1 Combine milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar in a small bowl. Stand for 5 minutes or until slightly frothy on top.

2 Place remaining caster sugar, 1¼ cups (200g) of the flour, the yeast mixture and orange rind in a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 4 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3 Add eggs, egg yolks, butter and remaining flour. Mix on medium speed for 8 minutes or until smooth, glossy and elastic. Add candied orange peel; mix until just combined. Transfer to a large lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Stand in a warm place for 3½ hours or until doubled in size.

4 Meanwhile, place grapes, sherry and orange juice in a small saucepan, ensuring grapes are covered by the liquid. Bring to a simmer over high heat; cook for 3 minutes or until grapes begin to look glossy. Remove grapes with a slotted spoon to a heatproof bowl. Continue simmering liquid for 8 minutes or until reduced by one-third and syrupy. Remove from heat. Cool.

5 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fanforced). Grease a 10cm deep, 11cm x 27cm straight-sided loaf pan; line with two layers of baking paper, extending the papers 5cm above the edges.

6 Turn dough out onto a clean work surface; flatten into a 28cm round. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate; roll up firmly into a log, tucking the ends underneath. Place, seam-side down, in lined pan; brush top of the dough with egg white and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Top with a quarter of the grapes. Stand for 30 minutes or until risen.

7 Bake panettone for 30 minutes; cover with foil. Reduce oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced); bake for a further 40 minutes or until risen and golden. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Using the baking paper as an aid, lift the loaf out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

8 Serve panettone in slices with remaining grapes and syrup.

Suitable to freeze.