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Home » Bread

Apricot and cashew loaf

26/03/2022 by Judith 9 Comments

Apricot and cashew loaf

Apricot and cashew loaf is a tasty and wholesome loaf made using easybake yeast and can be prepared by following a few simple steps. Similar to hot cross buns, this fruit and nut loaf is perfect toasted and served with butter for breakfast or brunch. It can also be enjoyed cold alongside a salad or soup. The quantities in this bread recipe are sufficient to make one large bloomer.

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Ingredients

  • 375g bread flour
  • 3 teaspoons easybake yeast
  • 50g sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 100g dried apricots, chopped
  • 30g cashew nuts, chopped
  • 45g butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 100 ml milk
  • 80 ml water
  • 1 egg at room temperature
Ingredients for apricot and cashew loaf
Ingredients for apricot and cashew loaf

About the ingredients

Bread flour - use bread flour rather than all purpose flour to make this fruit and nut loaf as it is higher in protein and will result in a chewier texture. Save your all purpose flour for cakes, biscuits and pastry.

Easybake yeast - easybake yeast makes this bread recipe easier than if fresh yeast were used. Simply add the easybake yeast to the bowl with the other dry ingredients and continue with the recipe. No complicated steps to follow!

Butter - either salted or unsalted butter can be used, depending on your preference and what you have in the fridge.

Egg - this recipe works using either a large or medium sized egg. The egg must be used at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge so that the ingredients are at the correct temperature for the yeast to work.

Equipment needed

  • Large bowl
  • Large plate which fits over the bowl (to cover the dough while proving)
  • Kitchen scales
  • Measuring jug
  • Electric mixer with dough hooks
  • Medium sized saucepan
  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • 2 teaspoons
  • Baking tray
  • Non stick baking parchment
  • Wire cooling rack

How to make apricot and cashew loaf

Start by chopping the dried apricots and cashew nuts.

Chopped apricots and cashew nuts
Chop the dried apricots and cashew nuts

Place 375g bread flour, 3 teaspoons easybake yeast, 50g sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped apricots and chopped cashew nuts and mix.

Place the dry ingredients in a bowl

Weigh 45g butter into a medium sized saucepan and add 100 ml milk and 80 ml water. Heat gently over a low to medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is hand hot.

Heat the butter, milk and water

Add the warm butter/milk/water mixture to the dry ingredients and add the egg.

Mix with an electric mixer with dough hooks attached until the dough is elastic and forms a ball, this is likely to take around 2 to 4 minutes.

Dough for apricot and cashew loaf
Mix with dough hooks until the dough forms a ball and is elastic

Place a large plate over the top of the bowl to prevent drying out and leave the bowl of dough in a warm place to prove for around 1 to 2 hours.

Place a non-stick baking sheet on a metal baking tray and lightly flour. Tip the bread dough onto the lightly floured tray and form the dough into the shape of a bloomer. Leave in a warm place to prove a second time for around an hour.

Unbaked apricot and cashew loaf
Form the dough into an oblong and leave to prove again before baking

How to bake apricot and cashew loaf

Preheat the oven to 220oC, 425oF, gas mark 7. About 10 minutes before starting to bake the loaf place a tin of hot water (which has been boiled in a kettle) in the bottom of the oven to produce steam inside the oven. Check there is still water in the tin before starting to bake the loaf and top up with more hot water if needed.

Bake the apricot and cashew bread in the centre of the oven. Remove the tin of hot water after about 15 minutes baking time. Turn the tray around at this time so that the loaf is evenly baked. The loaf will be ready when it looks baked and has a hollow sound when tapped on its underside. The loaf is likely to take around 20 to 30 minutes but this may vary a little from one oven to another.

Apricot and cashew loaf
Leave the loaf to cool on a wire rack

Tips

  1. The melted butter, milk water mixture should be hand hot so that it is at the correct temperature to activate the yeast.
  2. If you don't have a mixer with dough hooks then the dough can be kneaded by hand, it will just take longer, around 15 minutes or so.
  3. Apricot and cashew loaf can be frozen. Ideally, freeze the slices individually so that you can use small quantities at a time. The frozen slices can be defrosted at room temperature or in a microwave or can be toasted straight from the freezer.

Mincemeat Chelsea buns

You may also like to try sticky mincemeat Chelsea buns, another easy to make bread recipe perfect for breakfast or snacking.

Apricot and cashew loaf

Apricot and cashew loaf

Apricot and cashew loaf is a tasty and wholesome loaf made using easybake yeast and can be prepared by following a few simple steps.
5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Proving time 2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 20 mins
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine European
Servings 15 slices
Calories 163 kcal

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Large plate
  • Kitchen scales
  • Measuring jug
  • Electric mixer with dough hooks
  • Medium sized saucepan
  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • 2 Teaspoons
  • Baking tray
  • Non stick baking parchment
  • Wire cooling rack

Ingredients
 
 

  • 375 g bread flour
  • 3 teaspoon easybake yeast
  • 50 g sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 100 g dried apricots
  • 30 g cashew nuts
  • 45 g butter
  • 100 ml milk
  • 80 ml water
  • 1 egg (at room temperature)

Instructions
 

  • Chop the dried apricots and cashew nuts.
  • Place the flour, easybake yeast, sugar, salt, chopped dried apricots and chopped cashew nuts in a large bowl and mix.
  • Place the butter in a saucepan with the milk and water and heat gently until the butter has just melted and the mixture is hand hot.
  • Add the hand hot butter/milk/water mixture and the egg to the dry ingredients.
  • Mix with an electric mixer with dough hooks attached until the dough is elastic and forms a ball (2 to 4 minutes).
  • Cover the bowl with a large plate and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Place a sheet of non stick baking parchment on a metal baking tray and lightly flour. Tip the bread dough onto the parchment and form into the shape of a bloomer. Leave to prove in a warm place for a second time, for about 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 220C, 425F, gas mark 7.
  • Place a tin of hot water in the bottom of the oven about 10 minutes before starting to bake the bread. Check there is still water in the tin before starting to bake the loaf, topping up with more hot water if necessary.
  • Bake the bread in the centre of the oven until baked (about 20 to 30 minutes). After 15 minutes, turn the loaf around so that it bakes evenly and remove the tin of water.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 342IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosanna

    May 07, 2022 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds delicious and I reckon it would absolutely amazing with cheese - I’m off to get the ingredients now!

    Reply
  2. Jeannie

    May 07, 2022 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    the smell of this bread when baking fills the whole kitchen. Perfect for weekend breakfast.

    Reply
  3. Lisa

    May 07, 2022 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    This is a really great recipe! I don’t normally think of apricots and cashews together, but it really worked. The whole family loved it.

    Reply
  4. Audrey

    May 07, 2022 at 6:41 pm

    5 stars
    I love the apricot in this.

    Reply
  5. Giangi Townsend

    May 08, 2022 at 12:25 am

    5 stars
    This sounds so delicious and quite easy to make. Thank you for all your tips. Cannot wait to make it.

    Reply
  6. nancy

    May 08, 2022 at 1:33 am

    5 stars
    i really enjoyed the apricot bites and the flavours are so elegant!

    Reply
  7. Jacqui

    May 08, 2022 at 2:52 am

    5 stars
    I am a sucker for bread, so adding all this other fruits and flavors is genius!!

    Reply
  8. Katie

    May 08, 2022 at 3:22 am

    5 stars
    I'm always on the lookout for a dessert loaf that is more unique, and this apricot and cashew loaf was perfect, so delicious!

    Reply
  9. Bianca

    May 09, 2022 at 10:49 am

    5 stars
    I'm always looking for new flavors for my bread and this version was amazing! I served it with a charcuterie board and the whole family loved it

    Reply

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