Going halves /-/ Yeasted Ginger swirl bread

OK ladies, I have got a bone to pick with you. Yes this is a behaviour that I find extremely annoying and I guarantee at least every single woman and man has done this before. I have done this before and man, I am sorry to whoever I did it to because gosh is it rude.



How many of you have asked to sample a piece of another person’s meal ? (Normally it something that we would consider unhealthy) I do not mean the mutual agreement to share a meal and go halves on the payment. I mean when they order a tiny meal and then ask to have some of yours in exchange for theirs; for example when I used to work in a hospitality joint the number of times I would over hear the conversation start with “Can I have a spoon of yours?” then them proceeding to eat half their meal, is actually quite alarming



Essentially the root of the problem is if want some, can you not order one for yourself and save half for later? Or if you just want a spoon, please keep it at a spoon; do not continue ask for a another “tiny taste”.

I think I a lot of boyfriends have complained about this, particularly if it is something they are very fond of aka. Cake, steak and beer. From their accounts that spoon will often turn to half of the meal, almost 100% of the time.



Now I am not a good sharer when it comes to food I like or love. Of course I have gone halves with someone on a meal but that is only when I pay for half of it. If they eat more than me, so be it but at least I am rest assured that I deserved at least half that meal. However , do think you are fooling anyone by asking for a spoon? We all know what you are going to do. Well, at least the people who are eating that meal are.

But seriously ladies and gents, What’s up with the picking habit?



You deserve to eat a steak, whole slice of cake and whole burger, once in a while. You are not going to blow up or get fat. NO body is judging you for eating the WHOLE thing (such an annoying comment too). Simply if you want to eat it; please go for it. It will make you happier and you will not be on your partner’s or friend’s food hit list.

Thankfully bread or at least loaf bread is something I do not have go halves with anyone.

Yes, I am heavily procrastinating. I said before that I was going through exams but I am finally at my last test.

WOOT! WOOT! I am excited because like I said before I am terrible at exams. Not to mention that I miss baking a lot…




This bread is a classic. The comfort spicy aroma of a fruit loaf with a ginger swirl, so fitting for the time of year too. With Christmas coming up, I love to give out homemade spiced bread as gifts. However with the spice in this loaf I took inspiration from that cookie, the ginger bread. I recently have been turn on to ginger bread, mainly because I actually found a recipe that did not just taste like dry, ginger cracker; but buttery ginger toned biscuit. The bread is whole meal base sweeten with the malty goodness of golden syrup and molasses; swirled with a fragrant gingery spice mix and dotted with plumped up dried cranberries and currents. I prefer cranberries because they are not too sweet



While this loaf is reminiscent of the classic cinnamon raisin loaf, I guess you can say it got a Festive makeover. Wonderfully soft loaf with a foldable crumb; sliced thick or thin you can enjoy the gingery tartness of this festive spiced yeast bread.





Yeasted Ginger swirl bread with cranberry and currents

 Adapted Bread recipe from Christine’s recipes

Ingredients:

200 gm milk

1 59g egg, whisked

120 gm Tangzhong (refer to this recipe)

20g molasses

20g golden syrup

5 g salt

350 g Atta Flour (it is the Indian whole meal flour, Slightly different to normal whole meal but works better with yeasted bread)

200g whole meal flour

7 g instant dry yeast

60 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

60g cranberries and 60g currents, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, drained





Ginger sugar spice mix

40g soften unsalted butter

50g brown sugar (dark)

2tsp ground ginger

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of all spice

1 tsp lemon zest

In a large bowl mix the wholemeal flour, atta flour, drained cranberries and currents, salt. Add the molasses, golden syrup, egg and milk. Mix until it is combined add the Tangzhong and knead to form a rough ball.

Flour a flat surface and turn out your dough, knead for 5 minutes then slowly knead in soft butter. Continue to knead for 25 minutes with a break for 5 minutes at half way. It should be a smooth, soft dough; maybe a bit sticky.

Place in large bowl that is greased and cover with cling film for 1 hour to proof.

Once proofed, punch down and place in fridge for 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.

Grease and line a loaf tin this one was 24cm by 9cm by 13cm

Roll your dough into a rectangle 26cm by 20cm. Using your hands smooth over the butter, then top with spice mix.

Roll in a jelly roll style to form a tight log. Using a sharp knife cut the dough in half length ways and braid the two strands.

Place in the tin with the ends tucked in. Cover with cling and proof for 45 minutes

Pre heat an oven to 185C.

Once proofed, brush with egg wash (one egg and tsp milk)

Bake in oven for 30 minutes. If it is too brown cover with tin foil. Turn out to cool on wire rack.