Fabulous Fruit Bannock Recipe - An old Irish Favourite.

Fruit Bannock (from my understanding) is a traditional Irish recipe for a sweet / fruit bread. Growing up local bakeries used to make it and it was a real treat to get it fresh at the weekend. Its so delicious I think it is perfect on its own with a slab of butter. I have a really sweet tooth so hence why one of my faves. I so look forward to picking up a fresh loaf from my local bakery when I have the opportunity to travel back home. Its so good - The Cookie Jar are even selling ready made mixes of their best sellers so I also stock up on these when I get back home.

This is a great little loaf for an afternoon tea alternative or just for supper with a cup of tea.

Total Prep and Bake Time: 90 Minutes

Difficulty: A tiny bit technical

Ingredients:

• 350 grams of plain white flour

• 100 grams self-raising flour

• 150 grams unsalted butter, melted

• 200 grams dried mixed fruit / raisins / Sultanas

• 50 grams light muscovado sugar

• 50 grams caster sugar

• 500 milliliters of buttermilk

• 1-2 (heaped) teaspoon's of bicarbonate of soda

• 1 (heaped) teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (or a generous swirl)

• Optional: feel free to add a handful of porridge oats (100 grams) to add texture to the bread. This is a coarse bread

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes whilst you prepare the bread mixture

2. Add both flour types to a large mixing bowl and add in the bicarbonate of soda and the sugar(s) (and porridge oats if you want to include them in the mix now is the time)

3. Heat the butter slightly in a pan then add to the mix

4. beat the egg separately and add to the mix along with the butter milk

5. Add in the raisins

6. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or pulse in a blender but this is a coarse mixture so don't worry about getting the batter too smooth.

7. Add in the olive oil, give a final stir and add the mixture to a bread tin (pre-greased with butter!)

8. Lastly, sprinkle the top of the mixture with some crushed porridge oats and plain flour and pop in the oven for approx 45 minutes until a golden brown.

9. When you remove from the oven - poke the bread through with a metal skewer (or whatever you have to hand) - if it removes easily without any dough stuck to it then you are good to go - if it is still a bit gooey in the center put it back in for another 5 minutes or so. You want the bread a golden brown on the top - but not burnt so feel free to cover the top with tinfoil if it needs an extra 5-10 minute blast in the oven.

10. Remove from the baking tin and set to cool on a rack

11. Once cool, slice with a bread knife and serve fresh with butter.

12. Taa daa - sit back and admire your masterpiece and everyone's faces of delight when they tuck into your fresh fruit bannock loaf. You are a star baker!

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