How to make Spiced Fruit Sourdough

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As I write this, I am chewing a lovely thick wedge of this Spiced Fruit Sourdough, dripping with butter and honey.  This is a sweet and aromatic loaf, perfect for a cold winter lunch with a hot mug of coffee.

It is aromatic and slightly sweet, with the classic Christmas glace fruit and spices woven throughout the dough.  With butter and honey, it is sublime, but it can be enjoyed in so many ways.

Ways to enjoy Christmas Spiced Fruit Sourdough

• Battered and fried for Christmas Morning French Toast.  Top it with whipped cream and maple Syrup.
• Bake it, diced, in a custard for a Bread and Butter Pudding Christmas dessert.
• Topped with coconut or peanut butter and drizzled with honey.  A dash of cinnamon on top.
• Made into a cheese toasted sandwich with your favourite chutney or relish.
• A thick layer of Nutella or chocolate peanut butter, with sliced strawberries on top.
• Spread with whipped feta, honey and strawberries.
• Ricotta, fresh figs and honey.  Ka-pow!

This Christmas Spiced Fruit Sourdough can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or even dessert.  The sweetness is very subtle, and is enhanced by the almond essence and mixed spice.

Soaking the fruit in the liquid (I used leftover whey) overnight really draws out the sweetness of the fruit, and infuses into the whey, which means you get that sumptuous Christmas Fruit flavour in every slice. 

Why use Almond Essence in Spiced Fruit Sourdough?

You may see the Almond essence in the recipe below and recoil in horror. 

I will admit, it is a polariser.  The flavour is super sweet and it has a unique tang that is not very popular.

But, adding almond essence to this spiced fruit Sourdough instead of vanilla, just gives it a subtle kick of sophistication (in a cool, subtle way). It makes the loaf seem a bit more Italian, a bit more exotic.

By all means, leave it out. With vanilla essence, it will still have a lovely flavour; it just won’t be as exotic tasting as with the almond.

I once was an almond-essence-hater, but recently have “discovered” the wonderful spectrum of sweet delight it brings to my baked goods.  You might too – give it a try!

What Fruit mix is used in this Spiced Sourdough Loaf?

The fruit mix you need for this loaf is the classic “Christmas Fruit Mix”. Christmas fruit is the type of mix that you would normally soak in brandy for months and then put into your Christmas cake.  It usually has sultanas, glace cherries and mixed peel. 

It is a lot sweeter than ordinary fruit mixes, and even than dates. This makes this Spiced Fruit Sourdough a lot richer than an average sourdough loaf. You don’t need to add any sweetener to this mix!

This loaf is absolute comfort food at its finest, and this recipe is actually my favourite version of the Fruit Sourdoughs.  Hand over mouth – did I just say that?

What ingredients does Spiced Fruit Sourdough need?

There are no special or expensive ingredients in this Spiced Fruit Sourdough Loaf:

100g Christmas Fruit

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1 tablespoon Almond Essence

300g water (I use whey)

100g Sourdough Starter

400 g Flour

10 g Salt.

What is the Timeline for Spiced Fruit Sourdough?

The timeline for this Sourdough Loaf is pretty much the same as for my other loaves, except you have to soak the fruit the night before in addition to feeding your starter.

The Night Before

Feed starter.

Place Christmas fruit, almond essence, spice, and whey in a large mixing bowl.  Cover with a tea towel, and let it strain overnight.  The fruit will release a lovely sweetness into the liquid, which is why you will not need to add honey or sugar to this dough.

The Next Day

Add sourdough starter and salt to the fruit-and-spice mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add flour and mix until a cohesive dough is formed.

Leave to rest for half an hour.

Stretch and Fold

For the next 2 hours, do 4 stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart.

Bulk Ferment

Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for a minimum of 6 hrs (be careful not to over-prove at this stage, as it can really impact how the dough bakes).  If it is warm, leave for a maximum of 8 hrs, just to be safe.

Shape

Tip the dough out onto the bench.  With wet hands, stretch the dough out as far as it will go without tearing.  Then, bring each corner to the centre of the dough.  Flip it over cup your hands at the top of the dough and pull it across the bench towards you.  This should make the surface of the dough nice and taut.

Turn it back over and rest for 40 minutes on the bench.

Repeat this step, but leave the taut surface of the dough remaining upwards.

Overnight Ferment

Line your proving bowl with a tea towel, and dust with flour.  Transfer the dough, with the taut surface facing down into the bowl.

Leave overnight in the fridge.

Bake

An hour before you want to start baking, preheat a casserole dish/dutch oven in the oven at 250 degrees Celsius. 

After 45 minutes, carefully transfer dough to a sheet of baking paper.  Score the tight surface of the dough to any extent your artistry desires. Transfer to the (hot) casserole dish, putting the lid firmly on top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until you receive the colouration you desire.  Anything less than 45 minutes will probably be undercooked.

Notes

I actually leave the lid on for the full 45 minutes baking time, but it does get a bit flat on top!  The reason I do this is to ensure the dough is cooked throughout.  I find it still gets good colour with the lid on the whole cooking time.

If you desire, you could take the lid off after 30 minutes and bake with the lid off a further 15-20 minutes, to give the bread a deeper colour and a crisper crust.  You do you!

It’s easier to cut the dough after waiting for a few hours – you will get more slices out of your loaf.  But sometime it is hard to resist a warm, thick slice of crusty bread and melted butter!