Citrus and sultana fruit loaf

Name: Citrus and sultana fruit loaf
Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 slices
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 360 g Plain flour Use unbleached all-purpose wheat flour, around 11–12% protein.; 50 g Caster sugar; 4.5 g Instant dried yeast; 7 g Fine salt; 28 g Unsalted butter Soft but not melted.; 50 g Beaten whole egg About one medium egg without its shell.; 120 g Whole milk At room temperature.; 65 g Water At room temperature.; 2 g Ground cinnamon; 4 g Orange zest Finely grated coloured zest only, about 1 orange.; 2 g Lemon zest Finely grated coloured zest only, about 1 lemon.; 75 g Sultanas Use soft, plump dried fruit without added alcohol.; 60 g Candied mixed citrus peel Finely chopped, without added alcohol.; 10 g Butter for the bowl and tin A greasing allowance.; 15 g Flour for shaping Use only a light coating.; 15 g Milk for brushing Use a thin coat.

Makes: 1 loaf, about 12 slices
Heat: 175°C conventional
Baking time: 45–55 min
Cuisine / style: International

International · Enriched fruit bread

Citrus and sultana fruit loaf

A lightly enriched yeast loaf with sultanas, candied citrus peel and a little cinnamon. Cool it fully before slicing; the firm crumb also suits toasting the next day.

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Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Dough	Plain flour	360 g	Use unbleached all-purpose wheat flour, around 11–12% protein.
Dough	Caster sugar	50 g
Dough	Instant dried yeast	4.5 g
Dough	Fine salt	7 g
Dough	Unsalted butter	28 g	Soft but not melted.
Dough	Beaten whole egg	50 g	About one medium egg without its shell.
Dough	Whole milk	120 g	At room temperature.
Dough	Water	65 g	At room temperature.
Dough	Ground cinnamon	2 g
Dough	Orange zest	4 g	Finely grated coloured zest only, about 1 orange.
Dough	Lemon zest	2 g	Finely grated coloured zest only, about 1 lemon.
Fruit	Sultanas	75 g	Use soft, plump dried fruit without added alcohol.
Fruit	Candied mixed citrus peel	60 g	Finely chopped, without added alcohol.
Handling	Butter for the bowl and tin	10 g	A greasing allowance.
Handling	Flour for shaping	15 g	Use only a light coating.
Finish	Milk for brushing	15 g	Use a thin coat.

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Mixing bowl	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Stand mixer with dough hook	Use a large bowl, sturdy spoon and hand kneading. Follow the dough’s smoothness and stretch cues; it may take longer.
Or a worktop for kneading	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Box grater	Use a handheld grater. Chop long strands if needed; a peeler makes strips rather than the required grated texture.
Bench scraper	Use a firm food-safe spatula for lifting dough, or a kitchen knife for dividing it. Avoid sharp edges on nonstick surfaces.
Loaf tin	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
23×13×8 cm	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Cover	Use a clean lint-free tea towel or food-safe wrap. Cover resting dough without pressing down on it.
Pastry brush	For a cool wash or cool pan, use the back of a spoon or a folded food-safe paper towel. Keep fingers away from hot fat and cookware.
Foil	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Food thermometer — internal doneness	A basic digital food thermometer is enough for internal doneness. No thermometer is needed just to bring ingredients to room temperature.
Oven gloves	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Timing & recipe details

Time & temperature

Baking temperature: 175°C conventional
Baking time: 45–55 min

Makes: 1 loaf, about 12 slices
Heat: 175°C conventional
Plan for: 400 min total; 35 min active

Method

01 · Develop the enriched dough
12–16 min
Use: Plain flour; Caster sugar; Instant dried yeast; Fine salt; Ground cinnamon; Unsalted butter; Beaten whole egg; Whole milk; Water; Orange zest; Lemon zest
Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cinnamon. Rub in the soft butter, then add the egg, milk, water and both zests. Mix until no dry flour remains. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8–12 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Ready when: The dough is soft and slightly tacky; a small piece stretches into a thin film before tearing.
01 Develop the doughDevelop a smooth, elastic dough before adding the fruit.
02 · Fold in the dried fruit and peel
3–5 min
Use: Sultanas; Candied mixed citrus peel
Flatten the dough gently and scatter over the sultanas and chopped peel. Fold it over itself several times, then knead gently just until the fruit is evenly enclosed.
Ready when: Fruit is spread throughout the dough rather than forming one clump; most pieces are inside the surface.
02 Fold in the fruitGently enclose and distribute the sultanas and candied peel.
03 · Let the fruit dough rise
90–120 min
Use: Butter for the bowl and tin
Grease a bowl with a little of the handling butter and keep the rest for the tin. Put in the dough, cover and leave at about 24–26°C for 90–120 minutes.
Ready when: The dough is clearly aerated and roughly doubled in volume. Allow longer if it remains dense.
03 Let the fruit dough riseLet the covered fruit dough rise until roughly doubled.
04 · Shape one tin loaf
8–12 min
Use: Butter for the bowl and tin; Flour for shaping
Grease a 23×13×8 cm loaf tin with the remaining handling butter. Lightly flour the worktop. Press out large gas pockets, pat the dough into a rectangle and roll it into a firm log about 21 cm long. Pinch the seam closed and place it underneath in the tin.
Ready when: The log fits evenly along the tin; loose fruit is tucked beneath the surface.
04 Shape in the tinShape a firm log and place it seam-side down in the greased tin.
05 · Proof and heat the oven
60–90 min
Use:
Cover loosely and leave at about 24–26°C for 60–90 minutes. Heat the oven to 175°C conventional during the last 20 minutes.
Ready when: The loaf is noticeably fuller with a rounded top; a shallow fingertip dent returns slowly. Bake before the surface becomes slack.
05 Check the final proofProof until puffy and a shallow fingertip dent returns slowly.
06 · Brush and bake
46–57 min
Use: Milk for brushing
Brush the top lightly with the separate milk wash. Bake for 45–55 minutes. After about 25 minutes, cover loosely with foil if the fruit or crust is becoming dark.
Ready when: The sides are firm, the crust is brown and a probe placed into the centre between fruit pieces reads about 93°C.
06 Bake the fruit loafBrush lightly with milk and bake until the loaf is set and brown.
07 · Cool fully before slicing
100 min
Use:
Leave the loaf in its tin for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a rack. Cool for at least 90 minutes before slicing.
Ready when: The loaf no longer steams inside and slices cleanly without a gummy band near the base.
07 Cool completelyRemove from the tin and cool fully before slicing.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Develop the enriched dough	The dough is soft and slightly tacky; a small piece stretches into a thin film before tearing.
Fold in the dried fruit and peel	Fruit is spread throughout the dough rather than forming one clump; most pieces are inside the surface.
Let the fruit dough rise	The dough is clearly aerated and roughly doubled in volume. Allow longer if it remains dense.
Shape one tin loaf	The log fits evenly along the tin; loose fruit is tucked beneath the surface.
Proof and heat the oven	The loaf is noticeably fuller with a rounded top; a shallow fingertip dent returns slowly. Bake before the surface becomes slack.
Brush and bake	The sides are firm, the crust is brown and a probe placed into the centre between fruit pieces reads about 93°C.
Cool fully before slicing	The loaf no longer steams inside and slices cleanly without a gummy band near the base.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
The dough rises slowly.	Sugar, cinnamon or a cool room has slowed the yeast.	Keep it covered at the stated warm room temperature and wait for the expansion cue.	Use fresh yeast and check the room temperature; do not add extra cinnamon to this base.
Fruit burns on the surface.	Exposed dried fruit colours faster than the dough.	Cover loosely with foil while the centre finishes baking.	Tuck protruding fruit beneath the surface during shaping.
The sliced loaf has a gummy lower layer.	The centre was underbaked or the loaf was sliced hot.	Toast slices if the loaf is fully baked but was cut too soon.	Check the centre between fruit pieces and allow the full cooling period.

Storage: Cool completely, then wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Toast older slices. Freeze sliced bread for up to 2 months and toast from frozen or thaw while wrapped.; Contains: wheat, milk, egg, sulphites if present in the dried fruit or candied peel.; This Nepedia version has not been kitchen-tested.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

No brand is specified.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

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