Sweet breads are richer than everyday loaves, with a more tender crumb and crust plus a fancier finish – plenty of scope for invention then. Adding sugar and butter to a yeast dough slows down the yeast action, so the dough will take more time to rise. Using milk instead of (or in addition to) water gives a softer, more tender crumb that will keep slightly longer.
For a deep golden-brown crust and perfectly cooked crumb, a hot oven is vital. You can give quick breads a glossy ‘professional’ finish by brushing the hot, baked sweet loaves with melted butter.
Recipe List
Easy Orange and Ginger Marmalade
No time to bake a cake? Try this very quick, very simple sweet bread flavoured with milk chocolate chunks, pecans and dried cherries. Serve thick slices spread with butter or creamy goats’ cheese.
MAKES 1 MEDIUM LOAF
YOU WILL NEED: 1 BAKING SHEET, LINED WITH BAKING PAPER
450g plain white flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons caster sugar
25g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
75g good-quality milk chocolate, roughly chopped
75g dried sour cherries
75g pecan halves, broken in half
about 350ml buttermilk
1 Heat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the pieces of butter and rub in until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the pieces of chocolate, cherries and nuts.
2 Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix everything together quickly, using a round-bladed knife or your hand, to make a soft, slightly sticky, rough-looking dough. If the dough feels dry and won’t come together, work in more buttermilk a tablespoon at a time.
3 Lightly dust your hands and the worktop with flour, then turn out the dough and shape it into a ball, using no more than 3 or 4 kneading movements – the dough shouldn’t look smooth. Set the ball of dough on the lined baking sheet and gently flatten with your fingers so the ball is 3–4cm tall. Using a table knife, cut a deep cross in the top of the dough and dust it with flour.
4 Place in the heated oven and bake for about 35 minutes until the bread is a good golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Best eaten warm the same day, or toasted the next.
An all-in-one loaf that couldn’t be easier – the dough is made in a saucepan. It’s low in fat and sugar but packed with flavour.
MAKES 1 MEDIUM LOAF
YOU WILL NEED: 1 × 900G LOAF TIN (ABOUT 26 × 12.5 × 7.5CM), GREASED WITH BUTTER AND LINED WITH A LONG STRIP OF BAKING PAPER TO COVER THE BASE AND 2 SHORT SIDES
3 tablespoons malt extract
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar
300g stoned dates, chopped
25g unsalted butter
150ml water
1 medium free-range egg, at room temperature
100g walnut pieces
225g wholemeal plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
good pinch of salt
1 Measure the malt extract, syrup, sugar, dates, butter and water into a saucepan large enough to hold all the ingredients. Set over low heat and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until the butter has melted. Bring the mixture to the boil, then give it a good stir and remove the pan from the heat. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes until lukewarm.
2 While the date mixture is cooling heat your oven to 160°C/325°F/gas 3.
3 Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork, just to mix, then add to the warm date mixture. Stir in the egg, followed by the walnuts. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the pan (add any bits of bran left in the sieve) and mix everything together.
4 Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly, into the corners too. Place in the heated oven and bake for about 50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
5 Remove from the oven and set the tin on a wire rack. Run a round-bladed knife down the long sides of the loaf to loosen it from the tin, then leave until cold before turning out. The loaf will be richer in flavour and easier to cut if you wrap it in foil and leave it overnight before slicing. Best eaten within 5 days.
This is a quick and very easy way to make doughnuts – there’s no kneading and rising nor any deep-frying. Chunks of white chocolate make a good contrast to the slightly fudgy doughnut but you could also use your favourite dark, milk or flavoured chocolate (try coffee or butterscotch), or even slightly crushed malt-honeycomb chocolate balls. Try the doughnuts warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream and Mocha Sauce (see here).
MAKES 6
YOU WILL NEED: 1 × 6-HOLE NON-STICK DOUGHNUT TRAY OR 6 SMALL SAVARIN MOULDS, WELL BUTTERED (SEE RECIPE)
100g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
good pinch of salt
125g light brown muscovado sugar
75g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 medium free-range egg, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons buttermilk OR low-fat natural yoghurt
4 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
50g unsalted butter, melted
icing sugar, for dusting
1 Heat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Even if your doughnut tray (or moulds) are non-stick it’s a good idea to butter them well so the doughnut mixture doesn’t stick. Brush them with melted butter, paying particular attention to the raised centre, then chill in the freezer or fridge for a couple of minutes to set the butter. Repeat to add a second coating of butter.
2 Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Stir in the pieces of chocolate.
3 In another bowl whisk the egg with the vanilla, buttermilk (or yoghurt), milk and melted butter until thoroughly combined. Pour into the flour mixture and mix everything together with a wooden spoon.
4 Spoon the soft, sticky mixture into the prepared moulds to fill evenly. Place in the heated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the doughnuts are well risen and spring back when lightly pressed. Turn out on to a wire rack and dust with icing sugar. Best eaten the same or the next day.
Spelt flour has a richer, more nutty taste than wheat flour and makes bread that toasts well. Adding maple syrup and rapeseed oil (for a soft, moist crumb) and lightly toasted pecans makes this a good loaf for breakfast as well as for sandwiches.
MAKES 1 LOAF
YOU WILL NEED: 1 BAKING SHEET, LINED WITH BAKING PAPER
150g pecan halves
500g stoneground wholegrain spelt flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1 × 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
about 300ml lukewarm water
1 Heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Tip the nuts into a heatproof dish or small tin and toast in the heated oven for about 8 minutes until lightly coloured. Remove from the oven (you can turn it off for now) and leave to cool.
2 Put the flour, salt and yeast into a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a large free-standing electric mixer, and mix together with your hand or the dough hook attachment (on low speed). Make a well in the flour and pour in the maple syrup, oil and water. Mix everything together with your hand (or the dough hook on lowest speed) to make a soft but not sticky dough – stoneground wholegrain flours take longer to absorb liquid than white flours, so the dough will take more time to mix. If the dough feels dry and stiff or won’t come together, work in more water a tablespoon at a time.
3 Lightly flour your hands and the worktop, then turn out the dough. Knead well for 3 minutes (or for 2 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook on lowest speed). The dough will feel a bit firmer. Cover it with the upside-down bowl or a sheet of clingfilm and leave to rest on the worktop for 5 minutes.
4 Scatter the cooled nuts over the dough (there’s no need to chop them as they will get broken up during kneading). Thoroughly knead the dough for 3 minutes (or 2 minutes in the mixer) until the nuts are evenly mixed in and the dough feels stretchy. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover it with clingfilm or a snap-on lid and leave on the worktop to rise for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size.
5 Uncover the bowl and punch down the risen ball of dough with your knuckles to deflate it. Dust your hands and the worktop with flour again, then turn out the dough and knead a couple of times. Shape into a neat ball. Set it on the lined baking sheet and cover loosely with a dry tea towel or sheet of clingfilm. Leave on the worktop to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Towards the end of this time heat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
6 When the loaf is ready to bake, uncover it and cut a couple of deep slashes into the top with a small, sharp knife. Place in the heated oven and bake for 15 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Bake for a further 20 minutes until the loaf is a good golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack and leave until completely cold before slicing. Best eaten within 4 days.
Not just for teatime, these tea cakes are good split and toasted for breakfast too. Be sure to use a well-flavoured Seville bitter orange marmalade with plenty of chunky peel – if you want to make your own see the recipe here.
MAKES 8
YOU WILL NEED: 1–2 BAKING SHEETS, LINED WITH BAKING PAPER
500g strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 × 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
100g sultanas
150g good marmalade
about 250ml lukewarm milk
1 Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a large free-standing electric mixer. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Toss until the butter is coated in flour, then rub in until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the dried yeast and then the sultanas, breaking up any clumps. Make a well in the mixture.
2 Combine the marmalade with the milk and pour into the well. Mix with your hand, or the dough hook of your mixer on the lowest speed, to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. If there are dry crumbs at the bottom of the bowl or the dough feels dry and is tough to bring together, work in more milk a tablespoon at a time; if the dough feels very wet and sticky work in more flour a tablespoon at a time.
3 Lightly dust your hands and the worktop with flour, then turn out the dough. Knead it thoroughly for 10 minutes (or for 4 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook on the lowest speed) until smooth and elastic. Put the ball of dough back into the bowl and cover with clingfilm or a snap-on lid. Leave on the worktop to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
4 Uncover the bowl and punch down the risen dough to deflate it. Dust your hands and the worktop with flour again, and turn out the dough. Divide it into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a neat ball, then gently flatten with your hand to make a disc about 10cm across and 2.5cm high. Arrange the discs, well apart to allow for spreading, on the lined baking sheet(s). Cover loosely with a dry tea towel and leave on the worktop to rise for about 45 minutes until doubled in size. Towards the end of this time, heat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
5 Uncover the tea cakes and brush lightly with milk. Place in the heated oven and bake for about 20 minutes until a good golden brown. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and leave to cool. Best eaten the same or next day.
Here is a simple, very good way to make marmalade when Seville oranges are available. The orange peel is quickly chopped in a food processor, then soaked overnight (along with the pulp and pips) so it softens, which reduces the cooking time and gives the marmalade a fresher taste. You can add a little more or less stem ginger as you like – or leave it out altogether.
MAKES ABOUT 3KG
1kg Seville oranges
juice of 1 large lemon
2.5 litres cold water
2kg granulated sugar
5 lumps (about 100g) preserved stem ginger in syrup, drained
3 tablespoons ginger syrup from the jar
1 Rinse the oranges well, then dry with kitchen paper. Score the skin of each orange into quarters with the tip of a small, sharp knife, then peel these off. Put the peel quarters into the bowl of a food processor and chop as finely or as coarsely as you like; alternatively, chop or shred the peel with a large sharp knife. Tip the peel into a large stainless steel pan or a large china or glass bowl.
2 Chop the orange pulp roughly, removing all the pips. Put the pips into the centre of a small piece of muslin or fine, clean cloth and tie securely into a loose bag with string. Add to the chopped peel together with the chopped pulp and its juice. Add the lemon juice and cold water. Stir well, then cover the pan or bowl and leave to soak overnight.
3 Next day, pour everything (including the bag of pips) into a large pan or preserving pan. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally – this will take about 25 minutes. Simmer gently for about 1 hour until the peel is quite tender (remove a teaspoonful and, when it is cool enough to handle, check that you can easily pierce the peel with your thumbnail) – the cooking time will depend on how finely the peel is chopped.
4 Remove from the heat. Lift out the bag of pips and cool it on a plate, then squeeze all the juice from the pips back into the pan (press the bag between 2 small plates). Put several saucers or small plates into the freezer to chill.
5 Add the sugar to the pan and stir gently. Chop the ginger as coarsely or finely as you like and stir in with the ginger syrup. Set the pan over low heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn up the heat so the mixture boils rapidly and boil, stirring frequently, until the marmalade reaches setting point (see here) – this may take up to 45 minutes, depending on the heat and your pan, but start testing after 25 minutes.
6 Once setting point has been reached remove from the heat. Leave the marmalade to cool and settle for 10–15 minutes before ladling it into warm sterilised jars. Cover and label. Store in a cool spot.
Soaking the dried fruit in delicately scented Earl Grey tea adds a distinctive flavour to this loaf. For a stronger, more malty flavour you could use Assam tea bags instead. Try slices toasted for Welsh rarebit, or in a bread-and-butter pudding.
MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF
YOU WILL NEED: 1 × 900G LOAF TIN (ABOUT 26 × 12.5 × 7.5CM), GREASED WITH BUTTER
2 Earl Grey tea bags
150ml boiling water
125g mixed dried fruits (raisins, sultanas, currants)
finely grated zest of ½ medium unwaxed lemon
500g strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 × 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
about 175ml milk, at room temperature, plus extra for brushing
1 Put the tea bags into a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water, then leave to steep for 5 minutes. Remove the bags, squeezing them well. Add the dried fruit and lemon zest to the tea in the bowl and stir well. Leave to soak for an hour.
2 Put the flour, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a large free-standing electric mixer, and mix well with your hand. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the bowl. Toss the butter in the flour to coat the pieces, then rub in until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the dried yeast.
3 Drain the soaked fruit in a sieve set over a bowl or wide-necked measuring jug. Measure the strained liquid and make up to 275ml with the milk.
4 Add the drained fruit to the flour mixture and stir in, then work in the tea/milk liquid with your hand (or the dough hook of your mixer, on lowest speed) to make a soft but not sticky dough. If there are dry crumbs, or the mixture feels stiff and dry and won’t come together, work in more milk a tablespoon at a time; if the dough feels sticky and ‘claggy’, work in more flour.
5 Lightly flour your hands and the worktop, then turn out the dough. Knead for 5 minutes (or for 3 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook on the lowest speed). The fruit will start to break up. When the dough is smooth and stretchy, shape it into a ball and put it back into the mixing bowl. Cover with clingfilm or a snap-on lid and leave on the worktop to rise for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size.
6 Uncover the bowl and punch down the dough with your knuckles to deflate it. Flour your hands and the worktop again, then pat out the dough to a rectangle the length of your tin. Roll up the dough fairly tightly from one short end, like a swiss roll. Tuck the ends under.
7 Lift the roll into the prepared tin with the seam underneath. Slip the tin into a large plastic bag, slightly inflate it (so the plastic doesn’t stick to the dough) and secure the ends; or cover the tin lightly with a damp tea towel. Leave on the worktop to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size (not more). Towards the end of this time heat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
8 Uncover the loaf and brush the top with milk. Place in the heated oven and bake for about 35 minutes until the loaf is a good golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Leave to cool on a wire rack before slicing. Best eaten within 4 days.
If you’re partial to sticky, spicy Chelsea buns, have a go at making these for Easter. The same bun dough is used, with dried fruit kneaded in, to echo traditional Simnel cake flavours. A thin layer of marzipan is rolled up with the dough, in place of the usual fruit, butter and sugar filling, and the baked buns are topped with a lemon icing.
MAKES 16
YOU WILL NEED: 1 CAKE TIN OR BROWNIE TIN 20.5 × 25CM, WELL GREASED WITH BUTTER
200ml milk (full-fat or semi-skimmed)
50g unsalted butter
450g strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons light brown muscovado sugar
1 × 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
finely grated zest of 1 medium unwaxed lemon
150g luxury dried mixed fruit
1 medium free-range egg, at room temperature
400g white marzipan
To finish
100g icing sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons lemon juice
mini Easter eggs and chicks, to decorate (optional)
1 Put the milk and butter into a small pan and warm gently over low heat just to melt the butter (or heat in the microwave). Leave to cool until lukewarm.
2 Put the flour, salt, sugar, dried yeast, lemon zest and dried fruit in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a large free-standing electric mixer. Mix thoroughly with your hand, or the dough hook attachment on the lowest speed. Make a well in the middle of the mixture.
3 Beat the egg into the milk/butter mixture, then pour into the well. Using your hand, or the dough hook (on lowest speed), work everything together to make a soft but not sticky dough. If there are dry crumbs and the mixture won’t come together, work in more milk a tablespoon at a time; if the dough feels very sticky work in a little more flour.
4 Lightly dust your hands and the worktop with flour, then turn out the dough. Knead thoroughly for 10 minutes (or for 4 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook on lowest speed). Return the dough to the bowl, cover with clingfilm or a snap-on lid and leave on the worktop to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
5 Uncover the bowl and punch down the dough with your knuckles to deflate it. Turn out on to the lightly floured worktop and divide the dough in half. Roll out one piece to a rectangle about 36 × 18cm.
6 Gently knead the marzipan to make it more supple, then cut it in half. Roll out one half on the lightly floured worktop to a thin rectangle to fit your rolled-out dough. Set the marzipan on top of the dough and gently press it on to the surface. Starting from one long side, roll up like a swiss roll. Repeat with the other portion of dough and the rest of the marzipan.
7 Using a large, sharp knife cut each roll across into 8 even slices. Arrange them, cut side up, in the tin so they are barely touching – they will join up as the dough rises. Cover the tin loosely with a dry tea towel or sheet of clingfilm and leave on the worktop to rise for 35–45 minutes until doubled in size.
8 Towards the end of the rising time heat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Uncover the tin and place in the heated oven. Bake for about 25 minutes until the buns are a good golden colour.
9 While the buns are baking, make up the icing. Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice to make a smooth, thick but spreadable icing.
10 Remove the tin from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then run a round-bladed knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn out the buns on to the wire rack. Spoon on the lemon icing and spread it evenly over the warm buns. Leave to cool completely and set before gently pulling them apart. If you like, decorate with Easter chicks and tiny eggs just before serving. Beat eaten the same or next day.
For many, stollen is the quintessential German Christmas cake – a rich and spicy yeasted bread studded with fruit, nuts and citrus peel and finished with a coating of butter and sugar. Bake a week or two in advance to give the loaf time to mature.
MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF
YOU WILL NEED: 1 BAKING SHEET, LINED WITH BAKING PAPER
125g large raisins
50g chopped mixed peel, chopped more finely
finely grated zest and juice of 1 medium unwaxed lemon
4 teaspoons dark rum
about 125ml milk
freshly grated nutmeg
seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed
250g strong white bread flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1 × 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
2 medium free-range egg yolks, at room temperature
100g unsalted butter, softened but not runny
50g whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
75g white marzipan
To finish
50g unsalted butter, melted
icing sugar, for dusting
1 Put the raisins, chopped peel, lemon zest and juice, and rum into a small bowl. Stir well, then cover tightly and leave to soak overnight.
2 Next day, uncover the bowl and stir again. Gently warm the milk with half a dozen gratings of nutmeg and the cardamom, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
3 Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a large free-standing electric mixer. Stir in the dried yeast. Make a well in the centre and add the lukewarm milk and egg yolks. Work in with your hand, or the dough hook attachment of the mixer on low speed, to make a very soft dough that holds its shape. If the dough feels dry and firm work in more milk a tablespoon at a time; if the dough seems sloppy work in a little more flour.
4 Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured worktop and knead for 10 minutes (or for 5 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook on the lowest speed) until the dough feels firmer and very elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a snap-on lid or clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1½ hours until doubled in size.
5 Cut the butter into small pieces and work into the dough (still in the bowl) with your hands, squeezing the dough between your fingers, until the butter is completely amalgamated. Turn out the dough on to the lightly floured worktop and pat out to a rectangle about 1cm thick. Scatter the fruit mixture (drain off any excess liquid, if necessary) and the almonds along the centre of the dough.
6 Fold in the two long edges of the dough so they meet in the centre, then fold in the two short ends to the centre. Fold the dough parcel in half. Lightly dust your hands and the worktop with flour, then pat out the dough again and fold up 2 or 3 more times until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed. The dough will feel very soft and sticky.
7 Return the dough to the bowl, cover as before and leave on the worktop to rise for 1½–2 hours until doubled in size. Don’t put the dough to rise in a warm place because the butter will start to ooze out.
8 Flour your hands and the worktop again, then turn out the dough. Pat out to a rectangle about 20 × 15cm. With the side of your hand make a shallow groove down the centre of the dough. Roll the marzipan with your hands to make a sausage shape 18cm long and set it into the long groove in the dough. Fold the dough in 3: fold one long edge over to cover the marzipan, then fold over the other long edge to make a three-layer sandwich with the marzipan under 2 layers of dough. Tuck the ends under neatly.
9 Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and gently shape the loaf with your hands to make a neat oval. Cover loosely with a sheet of clingfilm and leave on the worktop to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Towards the end of this time heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
10 Uncover the risen loaf and place in the heated oven. Bake for about 40 minutes until a good golden brown; cover the loaf loosely with foil or baking paper after 25 minutes if it is browning too quickly. Remove from the oven and transfer, on the lining paper, to a wire rack. Brush the stollen with melted butter and dust with plenty of icing sugar. Leave until cold, then wrap in greaseproof paper and foil and allow to mature for at least a week. Dust with more icing sugar just before serving, cut into thick slices.
