Fruit Loaf

Fruit Loaf

 Ingredients:

330g Platypus Foods Bread Mix

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

100g sultanas or mixed dried fruit (apples, cranberries, apricots, sultanas)

35g (1 tablespoon) honey

25g (1 tablespoon) melted butter

30g apple sauce

Warm water to make up to 340ml (around 250ml)

1 teaspoon (3g) dry active yeast

          Method

1. Mix honey, butter, apple sauce and warm water. Ensure mixture is lukewarm.
2. Add yeast, mix well and leave for 10 minutes, until yeast goes frothy.
3. Place bread mix, cinnamon and sugar in bowel of electric mixer. Add liquids and mix at low speed for 1 minute.Cover bowl with cling wrap and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix again at medium speed for 3-4 minutes (mixture will look like a cake batter).
5. Add dried fruit and mix until just combined.
6. Spread batter into greased loaf pan (smaller and taller works best), ensure batter is touching all four sides and smooth the top.
7. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for around 45-60 minutes until around doubled in size. Covering bread with greased cling wrap works well as it can be easily removed without damaging and collapsing the bread. Rising mixture over a container of boiled water works well.
8. After 30-45 minutes rising, heat oven to 180 degrees. This allows the oven to be at the correct temperature by the time the dough is ready.
9. Carefully remove cover from bread dough and place bread in oven
10. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until loaf sounds hollow on the bottom when tapped. After 30 minutes, you can brush the loaf with 1 tablespoon melted butter to aid browning.