Krentenbrood van Bakker Veerman (Currant and Raisin Bread)

This is my father’s recipe for authentic Dutch currant bread (krentenbrood). He was a professional baker and made these loaves a lot! This recipe makes 2 regular-sized loaves, or one long loaf.

Step: 1

Soak currants and raisins in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels; stir in candied peel.

Step: 2

Sift flour and cinnamon into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add yeast and sugar to the well; pour in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Let stand until yeast begins to foam, about 5 minutes.

Step: 3

Stir remaining 3/4 cup lukewarm water, milk, eggs, and salt into the flour mixture until dough comes together.

Step: 4

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Add currant mixture; knead until evenly incorporated and dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Step: 5

Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans lightly with butter. Flatten dough gently and shape into 2 loaves. Place 1 loaf in each pan and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 45 minutes.

Step: 6

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step: 7

Bake loaves in the preheated oven until firm and dark brown, about 45 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.

Per Serving: 458 calories; protein 11.7g; carbohydrates 101g; fat 2.8g; cholesterol 25.8mg; sodium 172.4mg.

The best flavour of the flour can make a real difference to your bread. Different makers do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are bet higher in gluten, may give you a better rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re making wholemeal bread , which not always getting bigger as well as white bread.

To make this in a breadmaker , add all the ingredients to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A dough’s first rising can be make in the fridge 24 hours . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can work it night before , then clear it off the next day.