Bakery Style Prune Bread At Home.

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  • Course:
  • Cuisine
  • Prep time: minutes
  • Cook time: minutes
  • Total time: minutes

Enjoy Delicious REAL Bread without Worrying about Your Health, Your Blood Sugar... or Your Waistline!

INGREDIENTS:

MAKES 1 LOAF
  • 225g/8oz/1 cup dried prunes
  • 15ml/1 tablespoon active dried yeast
  • 75g/3oz/⅔ cup strong wholemeal (whole-wheat) bread flour
  • 375-425g/13-15oz/3¼–3⅔ cups strong white bread flour
  • 2.5ml/½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 5ml/1 tsp salt
  • 5ml/1 tsp pepper
  • 25g/1oz/2 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
  • 175ml/6fl oz/¾ cup buttermilk
  • 50g/2oz/⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
  • Milk, for glazing.

STEPS:

  1. Simmer the prunes in water to cover until soft, or soak overnight. Drain, reserving 50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup of the soaking liquid. Pit and chop the prunes.
  2. Combine the yeast and the reserved prune liquid. Leave for 15 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre.
  4. Add the chopped prunes, butter, and buttermilk. Pour in the yeast mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir from the centre, incorporating more flour with each turn, to obtain a rough dough.
  5. Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover with a plastic bag and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 12 hours.
  6. Grease a baking sheet.
  7. Punch down the dough with your fist, then knead in the walnuts.
  8. Shape the dough into a long, cylindrical loaf. Place on the baking sheet, cover loosely, and leave to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
  9. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/ Gas 7.
  10. With a sharp knife, score the top deeply. Brush with milk and bake for 15 minutes. Lower to 190°C/375°F/ Gas 5 and bake until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, 35 minutes. Cool.