Makes: 1 Bread Oven: 200 °C / 356 °F
Preparation Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes Baking Time: 25 – 30 minutes
Ingredients
Rich Dough
| 300 | g | Cake flour ( 530 ml / 2½ cups ) |
| 2 | ml | Salt ( ½ tsp ) |
| 60 | g | Castor sugar |
| 10 | g | Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet ) |
| 65 | g | Butter, softened |
| 100 | ml | Lukewarm milk or water ( approx. ½ cup ) |
| 1 | Large egg, beaten | |
| 50 | ml | Lukewarm water ( 5 tsp ) |
Filling
| 30-50 | g | Soft butter |
| 60 | ml | Sugar ( 4 tbsp ) |
| 5 | ml | Ground cinnamon ( 1 tsp ) |
| 50 | g | Chopped nuts ( optional ) |
| 60 | ml | Seedless raisins ( 4 tbsp ) |
| 60 | ml | Currants ( 4 tbsp ) |
| 60 | ml | Sultanas ( 4 tbsp ) |
| 60 | ml | Glacé cherries ( 4 tbsp ) |
| 1 | Egg, lightly beaten |
Method
- Place the flour, salt, sugar and the Anchor Instant Yeast into a large mixing bowl. Stir through. Add the butter to the lukewarm milk and allow the butter to melt. Add the egg to the milk mixture.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, along with just enough lukewarm water to form a soft dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, place the dough into a mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead for 4 minutes.
- Place the dough into a greased mixing bowl and cover with plastic film. Allow the dough to rest for
15 – 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 °C, and grease 2 large baking trays. Once the dough has rested, turn it out onto a floured surface and knock down. The dough is now ready to make the festive ring. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 30 cm rectangle. - Spread the soft butter onto the surface of the dough.
- Sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon, nuts and the remaining dried fruit over the dough.
- Roll the dough up as for a Swiss Roll. Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into 12 – 15 slices.
- Place the slices, cut side down, touching each other, to form a wreath on the baking tray.
- Cover the ring with plastic film, and allow it to rise until it has doubled in volume, about 25 – 30 minutes.
- Brush the ring with beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 – 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Dust thickly with icing sugar and serve the same day.
