Rosemary Shrager’s rich California prune and fruit loaf

Ingredients:
• 460g strong flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 60g butter
• 60g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg-yolk
• 100-200 ml water
• 42g fresh yeast
• 500g CaliforniaPrunes diced
• 110g walnuts, chopped
• 30g ginger stem, chopped
• 700gsultanas steeped overnight in water
• 1 dessertspoon glycerine (optional to increase shelf life &moisture)

Instructions:
Oven 220°C
Put the flour in a bowl, rub the butter in to resemble breadcrumbs. Add the fresh yeast, salt, sugar, eggs, egg-yolk and enough of the water to make to make a soft dough and mix then knead very well for approximately 15 minutes. Allow to sit covered with a cloth for 20 minutes.

Now add the sultanas and glycerine, California Prunes, chopped walnuts and stem ginger, mix well again and allow to rest for 40 minutes.Put the mixture into the tins and allow to rise for 2hours approximately, and then put into a pre-heated oven and cook for 40 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Rosemary Shrager, ambassador for California Prunes
Website: www.californiaprunes.co.uk