CHRISTMAS BREAD WITH DR IED FRUIT Christbrot

Christbrot is best eaten freshly baked without needing time to mature. This is one of the reasons why a Christbrot is more popular to bake at home than a Stollen each year. It isn’t hard to make this Christmas bread, but the method involves a triple rise, so you’ll need to set a morning or afternoon aside if you choose to make it.

MAKES 1 LOAF (SERVES ABOUT 6)

● 75g mixed peel

● 50g raisins

● 50g currants

● 1 tbsp dark rum

● 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

● 40g caster sugar

● ½ tsp fine sea salt

● Finely grated zest of ½ a lemon and of ½ an orange

● 50g unsalted butter, melted

● 1 egg

● 18g fresh yeast, or 9g dried

● 70ml tepid whole milk

● 50g flaked almonds

To coat

● 50g unsalted butter, melted

● 40g vanilla sugar or caster sugar

● 40g icing sugar

1. Put the mixed peel, raisins and currants into a bowl, pour over the rum and set aside to infuse while you prepare the dough.

2. Put the flour, sugar, salt and citrus zests into a large bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon, then add the melted butter and egg. Crumble the yeast (or sprinkle, if using dried) into the tepid milk and stir to dissolve. Pour the yeasted milk into the flour mixture and using your hands, bring the ingredients together into a rough dough.

3. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes more elastic. Form it into a ball and nestle it into the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a teatowel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1–3 hours until almost doubled in size. (Alternatively, put the flour, sugar, salt and citrus zests into the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the butter and egg. Pour in the yeasted milk and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic. Cover the bowl and set aside, as above.)

4. Knock back the dough with your fist and add the almonds and boozy dried fruit (along with any liquid). Knead the fruit and nuts through for a few minutes until evenly incorporated. Form the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover with the teatowel and set aside in a warm spot for about 20 minutes for a short second rise.

5. Form the dough into a round loaf shape and place it on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking parchment. Cover with a teatowel and leave somewhere warm to rise for a final 30 minutes.

6. Heat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/375°f/gas 5.

Bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes until brown all over and cooked through, checking after 25 minutes; if it is getting too brown cover it with a piece of foil for the remainder of the baking time.

7. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and brush with the melted butter repeatedly until all the butter is used up. Sprinkle with the vanilla or caster sugar, then sift over the icing sugar.

8. Christbrot is best eaten within a couple of hours of being baked. Or you can wrap it in foil and store in an airtight tin; it will keep for up to 3 days, after which it is still fine to toast for a further 2 days.