- Measure the milk into a small pan and gently warm over a low heat. Once it is warm but not boiling, remove from the heat and add the butter, allowing it to melt in. Set aside.
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, Maldon Sea Salt flakes, spices, and orange zest into the bowl of your stand mixer. Make a well in the middle and pour in the warm milk and butter mixture. Then pour in the 2 beaten eggs. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to bring this together to a sticky dough. Then add the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 – 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm, then leave in a warm place for it to double in size. This will take approximately 1 hour.
- Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.
- After an hour, take the dough use your hands to knock the air out. Tip it back into your stand mixer and add the dried fruit, then use the dough hook to knead and distribute evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape into a smooth loaf and then place into the prepared loaf tin. Cover loosely with clingfilm and then set aside for 45 minutes to rise again.
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Prepare the cross by mixing the plain flour and water until you have a smooth paste. Put this into a piping bag and snip off the end. After the dough has proved, carefully pipe a cross on the top and then place into the oven for 35 – 40 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and onto a wire rack. Brush with the melted apricot jam glaze. Cool in the tin before removing, slicing, and serving toasted with plenty of butter and a sprinkle of Maldon Sea Salt.
Serving: 8 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour, 45 minutes proving
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
SEA SALT FLAKES 250g
180ml whole milk, warmed to lukewarm
75g unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
500g strong white flour
10g fast action yeast
75g caster sugar
½ tsp Maldon Sea Salt flakes
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Zest of 1 orange
2 medium eggs, beaten
300g mixed dried fruit
For the decoration;
2 tbsp plain flour
2 -3 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp smooth apricot jam, melted
Preparation
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