SALLY LUNN

In parts of the country, this refers to a round tea bread or smaller buns. To the north west, it’s a large, oval-shaped fruited bun covered in icing.

Makes 1 loaf

450g (1lb) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

3tbsp caster sugar

7g (¼oz) instant dried yeast 7g (¼oz) fine salt

40g (1½oz) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened, plus extra for greasing

125ml (4fl oz) whole milk

About 125ml (4fl oz) cold water 75g (2¾oz) mixed dried fruit

Finely grated zest of 1 orange Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1tsp ground cinnamon

50g (1¾oz) glacé cherries, chopped

For the icing

200g (7oz) icing sugar 20-30ml (½-1fl oz) water Put the flour and sugar into a large bowl. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt to the other. Add the butter, milk and threequarters of the water. Using the fingers of one hand, mix everything together. Add the remaining water, a little at a time, until all the flour is incorporated – you want a soft but not soggy dough. (The amount of water you need depends on the flour.) Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until you have a soft, smooth dough. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise for 1-3 hours, until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, mix the dried fruit with the citrus zests, cinnamon and glacé cherries. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out. Shape into a large rectangle and scatter the fruit mix over the surface, then fold over to encase the fruit. Knead to distribute it evenly. Dust the work surface with more flour and roll out the dough to a large rectangle, with a long side facing you. Fold each end into the middle, then roll up and turn over so the join is underneath. Roll the dough lightly, applying more pressure at the ends to create a long oval shape. Lift the loaf onto the prepared baking tray and place in a large, clean plastic bag. Leave to prove for an hour, until doubled in size. Heat your oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Take the baking tray out of the plastic bag and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the loaf is risen and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix in enough water to make a thick but spreadable icing that coats the back of a spoon. Spread the icing evenly over the top of the cooled loaf and leave to set. Slice the loaf and serve with butter for spreading on each slice.