Bake along: Raisin Bread

Following the success of our bread making morning a few friends and I have decided to get together once every couple of weeks for a bake along. It is a lovely idea; a group of mummies following once recipe together, sharing ingredients, stories, tea and the washing up, while our children played together or helped if they wanted. I thought you might like to bake along too...

Raisin Bread

To make 1 loaf (we halved it and made a small loaf each)

500g strong white flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp yeast
150g raisins

125g milk

125g warm water

1 large egg

2 tbsp orange marmalade

Put flour, salt, yeast and raisins in a mixing bowl.

Measure water and milk together and add egg. Whisk together.

Add wet ingredients to dry and add marmalade.

Mix together with a hand or wooden spoon. When it becomes difficult to stir turn out onto a floured surface (preferably without a tablecloth on Laura!)

Knead the dough for about 10 mins or until it is no longer sticky. Add more flour if required.

Leave the dough to prove in an oiled bowl under cling film or dish cloth. Leave in a warm place until the mixture is double the size.

Reshape your dough and put into a greased bread tin. Cover and let it prove again for about 30 mins.

Bake in middle shelf of a preheated at 220C oven for 12 mins then turn down to 190C and bake for a further 10 mins. Do hollow tap test to make sure it's down.

While cooling mix a glaze (1 tbsp granulated sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp warmed water) and brush the top and sides of your loaf with the glaze. (If you have golden syrup this is also lovely brushed on as a glaze).

Recipe from The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fernley- Whittingstall & Fizz Carr

Our next bake along will be Pizza :-)