White Bread With Raisins, Apricots And Ginger

This recipe made one large loaf and one regular sized pan. It is versatile and can also make three dozen good-sized rolls. I would have preferred the glaze be made with egg and cream rather than egg and whole milk, but not enough to brave 98-degree heat to go out and buy cream. We're expecting this heat to stick around through the beginning of next week, so baking is getting done early and late. I'm putting canning on hiatus until this weather breaks-I can't imagine adding steam to the already warm house.

You Will Need:

1-cup warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons granulated dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups milk, scalded

1-cup raisins (soaked in hot water at least 30 minutes and drained)

1-cup sultanas (soaked and drained)

1 cup chopped dried apricots (unsoaked)

¼ cup chopped crystalised ginger (unsoaked)

5-6 cups (or more) bread flour

8 teaspoons vital wheat gluten

1 egg yolk and 3 tablespoons milk or cream for wash

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and sugar. Let proof about ten minutes.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until it begins to steam (this is the "scald"-not "burn"). Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Let cool to lukewarm and add the proofed yeast. Mix the vital wheat gluten with 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Add to the liquid mixture and beat well with a wooden spoon. Add the fruit, mixing well. Continue adding flour until you have a stiff, not sticky dough. Knead until smooth-about 10-15 minutes.

Place in a buttered bowl and let rise until doubled (took about an hour in today's heat).

Punch dough down gently and let rise another 30 minutes.

Grease pans generously with butter and place in dough. Cover with a towel and let rise about 45 minutes or until almost doubled.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush tops of loaves with wash and bake 20 minutes. Rotate loaves and continue baking until they sound hollow when rapped with the knuckles or an internal read thermometer reads around 200 degrees F. The tops will get quite dark and you can cover with foil if you think they may burn (mine never do). This can take as long as 40 minutes depending on the size of the loaves.

Cool on racks before slicing.