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I have a new creation in my kitchen. It’s been around for centuries, is nothing new, but…..it is making me a very happy girl in the mornings.
Fruit Bread/Toast.
When we were living in Perth a few moons ago, there was a beautiful little cafe we used to frequent for breakfast on weekends. It was the sort of cafe where you would happily sit there through all the meals of the day if you could.
There was a bookstore attached, it was near the foreshore of the river, playground nearby and combined with Perth’s delightful weather was just an absolute pleasure every time we visited…..of course they also had really good coffee.
Apart from giving me a waistline a few inches wider due to over consumption of bananas and maple syrup on french toast, this cafe also introduced me to fruit toast as it should be.
Not the stuff you get from the supermarket with 4 sultanas in a slice if you’re lucky. The type of bread that oozes with nuts, seeds and fruit. Where every mouthful is a delight and one slice is a meal.
A few weeks ago now I re-entered the bread making arena. Using my new Down To Earth Book which I mentioned here, I used Rhonda’s bread recipe and pumped out a beautiful, delicious loaf with one BIG problem.
As a family of five we devour the loaf in half a day.
The effort to consumption ratio was just not in our favour. Amplified by the fact that our local wood-fired bakery is two minutes up the road and we have access to reasonably priced delicious bread daily.
So I thought I’d try something different with really successful results. A loaf you can’t buy, takes a few days to eat and is really satisfying when you are enjoying a hot fresh coffee and sitting cosy by the fire.
Here’s what I did.
Made one quantity of bread dough and took it up to the second knead. Just after you let the bread rise for the first time.
Added a good handful each of whole almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped dates and chopped dried apricots.
Kneaded the fruit and nuts through the dough. Even though it spills out as your kneading it, just keep tucking it back in.
Prepare the loaf as per the bread instructions. My recipe calls for a sprinkle of flour, slits in the top and a further quick rise in the tin.
Bake as per the recipes instructions and then set out to cool.
WAIT for the loaf to cool. This always proves very difficult in our house but if you can wait the bread will be better for it.
Slice and enjoy fresh with butter. Toast and enjoy with butter.
or
Wrap and give to a very generous friend who is supplying your family with freshly laid eggs from her 4 little hens and won’t take any money for them.
Possibly my first country barter deal, provided they like the bread!
Shared over at 36th Avenue.
Meags,
This looks delicious! Def not what my waistline needs but oh so worth it. Ted loves fruit toast. We buy many trying to find the perfect one! Making it would be the best way to ensure you get just what you love. I’m thinking a good handful of chopped figs would also be delicious! I’ll let you know when I make it and how I go x
Brookey, figs would be delish. I’ve seen fig and walnut done, could be good too. Well worth the effort.
Would make an interesting French toast too, I imagine!
Oh yum, I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion.
Yum French toast would be amazing!