This week is bread week, and in true form I am indulging in all the bread possible whilst in France! Before I came a made a very British type of bread a tea cake! I replaced the dried fruit and mixed peel with dates and apricots for which are my two favourite dried fruits. The dates added a sticky almost treacle like favour.

Ingredients 

• 500g Strong White Bread Flour
• 10g Salt
• 60g Caster sugar
• 10g instant yeast
• 1tsp Cinnamon
• 50g Unsalted butter
• 300ml Tepid Water
• 100g Dried Dates
• 100g Dried Apricots
• 1 eggs beaten

Method 

1. First prepare all your dry ingredients; flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and cinnamon. Make sure to keep the salt and yeast separate.
2. Add the butter and 3/4 of the water and mix together using a wooden spoon until comes together. You may need to add a little water.
3. Knead together the dough for 5-10 minutes until forms a soft dough.
4. Then place the dough in a well oiled bowl and leave to rise until doubled in size, in a warm place this can take about an hour.
5. Line two baking trays with parchment or Teflon sheets.
6. Chop the dates and apricots into small pieces.
7. Add the dried fruit into the dough and knead again until well mixed.
8. Divide the dough into 8 balls, roll the balls until 1cm thick. Brush with the beaten.
9. Place on the baking trays and leave to rise until doubled in size again.
10. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
11. Bake the teacakes in the oven for 10-15minutes until golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack and then cut in half and toast to serve.