Equipment
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
- 150 g raisins
- 100 g dried figs, stemmed and chopped
- 100 g dried apricots, chopped
- 50 g dried cranberries
- 50 g candied orange peel, finely diced
- 50 g blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 60 ml dark rum
- 45 ml orange juice
- 50 g light brown sugar, packed
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 1 g ground allspice
Sweet Bread Crust
- 300 g bread flour
- 120 ml whole milk, warmed to 35C
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 4 g fine sea salt
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 15 ml whole milk
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 372 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 65 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 36 g
- Sodium
- 187 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 49 mg
- Potassium
- 419 mg
- Calcium
- 83 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 41 mg
- Phosphorus
- 121 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 81 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.38 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 3.2 mg
- Folate
- 83 mcg
- Water
- 42 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large bowl, combine the raisins, dried figs, dried apricots, dried cranberries, candied orange peel, almonds, rum, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
Warm the milk to 35C/95F. Whisk in the yeast and granulated sugar, then let sit until frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and salt. Create a well in the center, add the yeast mixture and the egg, and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead in the softened butter until the dough becomes smooth, supple, and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large circle approximately 30 centimeters across.
Pile the macerated fruit filling in the center of the dough circle, leaving a 5 to 7 centimeter border bare around the edges.
Fold the dough edges up and over the fruit, pleating the dough tightly to seal the fruit entirely inside and form a rounded parcel.
Invert the sealed parcel seam-side down onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely and let rise for a final time.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Whisk together the remaining egg and 15ml of milk. Brush the egg wash evenly over the entire surface of the proofed parcel.
Using a sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 small slits in the top of the dough to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake in the preheated oven at 180C/350F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown.
Transfer the baked parcel to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the dried fruits are chopped to a uniform size to create an even, sliceable texture that holds together well.
- Do not skip the maceration step. Allowing the fruits to plump in the rum and orange juice prevents them from drawing moisture out of the surrounding dough during baking.
- Sealing the dough pleats tightly and always baking seam-side down provides structural integrity and prevents the parcel from bursting open in the oven.
- If the crust browns too quickly in the oven, tent it loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time to prevent a burnt crust while ensuring the interior cooks fully.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container to prevent the crust from drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap the fully cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then heavy-duty aluminum foil before freezing.
Reheating: Warm slices gently in a 150 Celsius oven for 5 to 10 minutes to refresh the crust.
Troubleshooting
Dough tears while enclosing the fruit
Cause: Dough was rolled too thin or fruit mixture was piled too high
Fix: Pinch the torn dough back together, or patch with a small piece of excess dough from the pleats
Prevention: Leave a generous border and avoid stretching the dough excessively
Bread crust is dense and heavy
Cause: Yeast did not bloom properly or dough was under-proofed
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure milk is at the correct temperature (not too hot to kill yeast) and allow adequate rising time
Filling bursts out from the bottom during baking
Cause: The bottom seam was not sealed tightly enough before inverting
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but the leaked fruit can be scooped back up for serving
Prevention: Pinch the pleats together very firmly to form a tight, complete seal before turning the parcel over
Cultural Context
This dish draws deep inspiration from traditional European winter baked goods, particularly the Scottish Black Bun and the Alsatian Berewecke. Historically, enclosing precious, imported spiced dried fruits in a humble bread dough served to preserve the filling while creating an impressive, celebratory centerpiece for the winter solstice and subsequent holiday feasts.
