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Barm Brack
from the kitchen of Sharmagne Leland-St. John

4 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
⅔ cup lukewarm milk
1 heaping cup dried fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas
4 tablespoons sweet butter softened
Milk mixed with 1 beaten egg yolk

In a warm bowl mix together the flour, salt, allspice,
nutmeg, yeast and sugar. Make a well in the centre of
the mixture and pour in the water and milk. Mix until
it forms a cohesive and sticky dough. Pour the dough
out onto a floured surface and knead thoroughly until
it ceases to be sticky. Put in a buttered bowl and cover
with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place to rise for
approximately one hour.

Pour the dough out onto the floured surface and knead
again until softened enough to add the fruits and butter.
Work them into the dough until the butter is completely
mixed in and the fruits are more or less staying in the
dough. Let it rise a second time in a buttered loaf pan
for another half hour. Once the dough has reached the top
of the pan, brush with the milk-egg mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce
the heat to 350° F. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for
another 45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and
let the barm brack cool.

 

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