This is not gluten free, but for Easter I love to eat fruit bread.

Easter is for 3 days so why not have 2 loaves in your kitchen. It is often a time when you are surrounded with friends and family.

I wish you could all smell, my kitchen right now.

This loaf is loaded with dried fruit ( high fructose - oops) I have buying a fruit loaf and seeing more bread than fruit. This is not one of these. When mixing in the fruit, the thought will cross your mind, '' I am I making a fruit pudding'' ? but don't worry, it will turn into bread, and a delicious one :)

Spiced Fruit and Nut Bread Recipe

Makes 2 loaves - Line two bread tins.

600 gr mixed dried fruit - I used (lots of figs), apricots, apples and prunes

3 oranges - zest and juice

600 gr strong wholemeal flour or strong white flour

6 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp ginger

200 ml - either -kefir drink, rum, pure fruit juice. - I used my homemade kefir

2 tbsp dried yeast

2 tsp salt

200 gr chopped nuts - almonds or walnuts

450 mls water

1 egg and 2 tbsp milk - mixed

Method

1 - Soak all the dried fruit, orange juice and zest in the 100 mls liquid (not the water) for up to 2 days. Turning every now and then.

2 - Mix dry ingredients - flours, spices, yeast and salt.

3 - Make a well in the middle and add the water. Mix in the water with your hands. Knead for 10 minutes.

4 - Leave covered in a warm place for 3 hours.

5 - Drain off the liquid from the fruit and add the nuts.

6 - Mix the fruit and nuts with the dough, kneading it through. It will look like you have messed up, right now and you may think you are making a pudding, but squeeze through your fruit and nuts and it will work.

7 - Place the dough in lined bread tins.

8 - Leave covered in a warm place for 60 minutes.

9 - Brush with the egg mix and and bake for 45 minutes at 200 c.