Welsh Currant Bread Recipe

You will need.....       12 oz. plain flour                               

                               3 oz. margarine

                               3 oz. demerara sugar

                               1 level teaspoon salt

                               1 level teaspoon mixed spice

Preparation Time      1 1/2 lb. mixed raisins, currants, sultanas

20 minutes                and peel

                               1 egg beaten

Cooking Time            For the yeast liquid:

50-60 minutes            4 oz. plain flour

                               1 teaspoons sugar

Oven setting             1 1/2 level tablespoons dried yeast

350ºF; Gas Mark 4       1/2 pint warm water less 6 tablespoons

                               honey for glazing

 

Put the 4 oz. of flour into a large bowl. Add yeast, sugar and water (110ºF), mix well. Set aside until frothy, about 20 minutes.

 

Rub margarine into remaining flour and mix in sugar, salt, spice and fruit. Add egg and flour mixture to yeast liquid and mix well. Knead dough thoroughly on a lightly floured table. Place in a greased polythene bag, loosely tied, and allow to rise until double in size.

 

Turn out dough and knock out air bubbles; knead well. Divide in half an shape to fit two greased 1-lb. loaf tins. Place each tin in a greased polythene bag and allow dough to rise to 1-inch about top of tins. Remove polythene bags. Bake in a moderate oven for 50-60 minutes. Turn loaves out, place on a wire tray and, whilst still hot, glaze with a wet brush dipped in honey.

 

Quick Tip

 

To test if a loaf is cooked, tap underneath with knuckles; it should sound hollow; the loaf will also shrink slightly from sides of tin.

 

More Bread Recipes