Irish Barmbrack

Ingredients (1 large loaf)

    1 cup golden raisins
    1 cup currants
    2 cups strongly brewed black tea, still warm
    1 cup lukewarm milk
    2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    520 grams (4 cups) all-purpose flour + more as needed
    2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

Instructions

12 hours before you create the dough:

Place the golden raisins and currants in an exceedingly small-medium bowl and pour the nice and cozy tea over them. cowl and permit to take a seat on the counter at a cool temperature nightlong (or concerning twelve hours).
raisins and currants soaked in tea
Tip the raisins and currants into a medium-mesh filter and permit to empty for a number of minutes. Toss them with concerning two teaspoons of additional flour; put aside for the instant.

making the dough:

Place the remaining ingredients into the bowl of an electrical mixer fitted with the dough hook. activate low and blend till everything comes along. Increase speed (medium to medium-high) and let the dough knead for ten minutes.

At now, tho' dough ought to be swish and simply slightly tacky. currently you are going to mess it all up by adding the fruit to the bowl. It's planning to change into a gummy mess - however don't fret, we'll fix it. With the mixer running on medium, sprinkle in an exceedingly tablespoon of additional flour at a time till the dough has incorporated the fruit into it, yet again forming a cohesive dough that's tacky, however not super sticky (you ought to be ready to plunge your finger into it and are available away with solely the slightest hint of dough on it). do not rush this half and add an excessive amount of flour or your dough are dry; you may finish up needing just about another sixty five to a hundred thirty grams (1/2 to one cup). you must be ready to extend to the blending bowl and type the dough into a ball while not it dough obtaining stuck to each a part of your hand that it touches - simply a number of tacky bits ar smart, though.

Set dough ball into an oversized bowl that has been gently oiled. cowl with wrapping or a clean room towel and permit to rise at temperature till doubled in size, concerning one hour.

Preheat kitchen appliance to 400° F. Grease associate degree 8-inch pan.

Turn the dough out onto a gently floured surface and press gently to unleash a number of the engineered up gas.
Irish staff of life dough able to type into a ball
Irish staff of life dough ball before second rise
Form into a ball and set into ready pan. cowl loosely with wrapping or a clean room towel and permit to rise till doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.
Irish staff of life dough ball when second rise
Remove plastic and place into preheated kitchen appliance for 40-45 minutes. Check halfway through baking time and tent loosely with foil if the bread is obtaining too dark. Finished loaf ought to register a minimum of 195° on a measuring device that has been inserted into the middle. end up onto a wire rack and permit to cool down fully before slicing.