This impressive-looking teatime treat is easier to put together than you’d think — it takes time rather than expertise
Serves 10 • Ready in 1 hour 15 mins, plus rising and chilling
INGREDIENTS
- 100g Co-op unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
- 100ml Co-op whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 350g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50g Fairtrade caster sugar
- 7g Co-op instant dried yeast
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 Co-op British free range egg, beaten
- 200g Co-op Irresistible raspberry conserve
- 70g pistachios, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp Fairtrade icing sugar
METHOD
- Grease and line a 900g loaf tin. Gently heat the milk and butter in a small pan until the butter has melted. Stir in the vanilla, take off the heat, then allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, or stand mixer with a dough hook, mix together the flour, caster sugar, yeast and salt. Add the milk and butter mixture, with the egg, and form into a dough.
- Knead for 10-15 mins by hand, or 7 mins if using a stand mixer, until the dough is smooth, slightly sticky and elastic. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise at room temperature for 45 mins to 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Flour your work surface and roll the dough to a rectangle roughly 45cm x 30cm. Spread the conserve all over it. Scatter over the pistachios, reserving 1 tbsp to garnish. Roll the dough up tightly from the longer side to form a sausage shape. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and leave in the fridge for 30 mins.
- Cut in half lengthways and turn each piece so the filling is facing upwards. Tightly pinch them together at one end, then twist like a braid. Lay the dough in the tin, gently shaping it in a zigzag. Cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 30 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Bake for 35-40 mins, covering loosely with foil for the last 15 mins, until risen and golden. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, mix together the icing sugar with 1½ tsp cold water until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the loaf, then scatter over the reserved pistachios.
