Easy Spelt Easter Bread – Spiced & Fruity

Experience the joy of this soft and delicious Spelt Easter Bread, a delightful twist on the beloved favourite hot cross buns. Easier to make, it’s perfect for toasting. Infused with the warmth of cinnamon and mixed spices, and sweetened with juicy raisins and fresh orange zest, this loaf will brighten your breakfast or elevate your cosy afternoon treat. Made with spelt flour, it provides a gentler and more nutritious choice than regular wheat.

Can this be made suitable for a vegan diet? Yes, swap the butter for a plant-based butter or use a neutral oil like olive or sunflower oil. I haven't tested this with oil, but I use many of my other bread recipes to make them vegan.

Takes = 15 minutes prep.
Rest = 125 minutes + cooling time
Bakes = 30 minutes
Tin = 13.5cm x 28.5 cm (11 x 5.5 inches)

Ingredients

• White Spelt Flour – 480g (3 cups)
• Wholegrain Spelt Flour – 40g (1/4 cup)
• Dry Instant Yeast – 10g (3 level ts)
• Warm milk (plant or whole milk) – 200ml (just under 1 cup)
• Brown Sugar or honey – 30g ( 3 tablespoons)
• Salt – 10g (1.5 ts) leave out if using salted butter
• Butter, room temp. and cut into small pieces – 75g (1/2 cup)
• Oranges, zest and juice – 2
• Ground cinnamon – 2 teaspoon
• Optional Extra spice; mixed or your choice – 1 teaspoon
• Raisins or your mix of dried fruit – 150g (packed 1 cup)
  Extra flour for dusting
  

Cross Batter (if you like; not needed)

• Spelt Flour – 40g (1/4 cup)
• Water – 40g (1/4 cup)
• piping bag + small plain nozzle

Shiny Sugar Glaze (optional)

• Water – 50ml (1/4 cup)
• Sugar, date or maple syrup– 50g (1/4 cup)

Method

1. Grease and line a large loaf tin 13.5cm x 28.5 xm (11 x 5.5 inches)or two small tins or you could also just use a baking tray and no tin. We like the tin shape as it makes the bread easier to slice and toast.
2. Zest oranges and juice. Then, pour some orange juice over the raisins if they are hard.
3. Warm milk and add into the mixing bowl with yeast, sugar, flour, spices, salt and butter and knead for 5 minutes until the butter is combined. Add in the raisins, all juice and zest. The dough will be sticky, that's perfect.
4. Rest now covered for 60 minutes. If your house is cool it may take up to 90 minutes.
5. Once doubled, remove the dough, place it on a floured bench and gently fold it into a loaf shape. Place it in your tin and cover, then rest the dough again for 30-45 minutes. Or you could not use a tin and form it into a round mound shape.
6. Preheat the oven 15 minutes before baking to 200˚C or 180˚C fan.
7. Brush the top of the dough with a little milk wash, then bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked in the centre. Turn the loaf over and tap its base — if it sounds hollow, it is cooked. Remove from the tin after 10 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack. It is best eaten on the day it is made or the following day. We enjoy slicing this bread and toasting

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

• Flour – feel free to use regular wheat flour. At this stage, I haven't experimented with a gluten-free flour or flour blend.