Recipe#2473

Title: Black Bun

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 From: Iain G Liddell Iain.Liddell@brunel.ac.uk 
 Subject: Black Bun (Scottish) 
 Message-ID: <1076.9401171247@molnir.brunel.ac.uk> 
 Date: Mon, 17 Jan 1994 12:47:58 +0000 (GMT) 

1 Tbs dried yeast or piece of fresh the size of a walnut
 430 ml warm skim milk
 900 g strong plain white flour (breadmaking flour)
 1/2 tsp salt
 340 g unsalted butter
 455 g currants
 455 g seedless raisins
 230 g stoned prunes, chopped
 230 g chopped figs or (at a pinch) dates
 6 Tbs Oxford marmalade
 110 g flaked (slivered) almonds
 2 tsp ground cinnamon
 2 tsp ground cloves
 2 tsp ground ginger
 1 tsp ground cardamom
 60 ml whisky
 1 egg yolk
 1 Tbs skimmed milk
 Mix yeast and milk, allow to work for 10-15 minutes.  Sift flour
 and salt into a bowl, rub in butter.  Mix in yeast mixture, knead
 until smooth on floured worktop.  Prove in covered oiled bowl until
 double in bulk.
 Mix together currents, raisins, prunes, figs, marmalade, almonds,
 cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and whisky.
 Divide dough into two pieces, size ratio 2:1.  Flatten larger piece,
 and lay filling onto it.
 Knead filling and dough together until thoroughly incorporated.
 Roll out smaller dough piece into a circle.
 Place bun in centre of dough, wrap completely, drawing together
 edges in the centre of the top with a pinch.
 Line a cake tin (25-30cm, or 10-12") with greaseproof paper, and
 invert bun into tin (pinched side down).  Cover to prove dough for
 30-40 mins.  Skewer right through bun several times before glazing
 with mixed egg yolk and milk.
 Bake 2 hours at 180C / 350F / Gas 4.
 Eat cold, with whisky at New Year, Burns' Night (25 Jan), St Andrews
 Day (30 Nov) or any other vaguely Scottish excuse.