Makes: 1 medium loaf

Preparation time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Similar to the balsamic onion bread, the texture of this bread is quite soft and is made over two days. You need first of all to make a sponge and leave overnight. Then next day, prepare the fruit and make up the second stage bread dough.

The sponge:

150 g strong white flour
4g dried yeast
150ml warm water

1. Follow maker’s instructions for yeast. The quantity of water given in the recipe will be used at this stage.
2. When the yeast has frothed up sufficiently, add it to the flour and mix.
3. Ensure that the bowl is large enough to allow the dough to expand.
4. Cover with cling film and leave at room temperature overnight.

Meanwhile to make the bread:

225g strong white flour
6g salt
sponge mixture
1 tablespoon of olive oil
100 ml warm water
200g dried apricots
rind 1 large lemon

1. Mix the ingredients together and knead the dough until it is smooth and not sticky to handle. Put into bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise. This will take approximately 2 hours
2. While the dough is rising, roughly dice the dried apricots and mix with the lemon rind.
3. When the second stage dough is risen, add the fruit and mix it well into the dough. Shape the dough as you wish, either as a loaf or as rolls.
4. Place on a baking tray and put into an oven pre-heated to 200°C for 15 minutes, then lower to 160°C for another ten minutes.
5. Cool on wire rack.