Pecan and Prune Bread
By: Anonymous
Published: Friday, January 1, 2010 - 3:38am

Ingredients




10 ounces Strong white bread flour
10 ounces Strong wholemeal flour
2 Rounded teaspoons salt
6 grams Sachet easy blend dried yeast
2 Rounded teaspoons soft brown sugar
1 ounce fl  hand hot water
1 dsp groundnut oil
250 grams Pack vanilla flavour ready to eat prunes, roughly choppe
100 grams Pack pecan nuts, roughly chopped

Preparation

1 1. Preheat the oven to 200 C, 400 F or Gas Mark 6. 2 2. Sieve the two flours and salt into a bowl, tip in the wheat flakes from the bottom of the sieve and place the bowl in a low oven for 10 minutes to warm the flour slightly. 3 3. Sprinkle in the yeast and stir. 4 4. Place the water in a jug, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. 5 5. Make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the water together with the oil and knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. (A mixer will take over the hard work here). 6 6. Return to the bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. If the kitchen is cold this process can be speeded up by placing the bowl in warm water. 7 7. Turn the dough out and knead it again for 2-3 minutes. 8 8. Make an oblong of the dough, press the prunes and pecans onto this, roll up the dough and knead by hand until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed. 9 9. Divide it into two equal parts, shape it and put it into 2x500g (1lb) 10 Greased loaf tins. 11 10. Place these tins into a lightly oiled plastic bag trapping a little air in the bag so that it does not stick to the surface of the bread. 12 11. Leave in a warm place until the dough has risen about 3.5cm (1 1/2 inches) over the top of the tins. 13 12. Preheat the oven to 200 C, 400 F, Gas Mark 6 14 13. Remove the risen loaves from the bags and place in the preheated oven on the middle main shelf for 35-40 minutes. 15 14. Tap the bottom of the loaves, if they sound hollow they are done. 16 Either leave to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning out of the tin or it can be placed back in the cooling oven if you prefer a crisper crust to your bread. 17 NOTES : A special bread for any occasion. It is delicious with cheese or toasted for breakfast.