A Festive Treat

Indulge in the culinary magic of the festive season with this recipe for Aran na Nollaig, shared from The Hebridean Baker At Home by Coinneach Macleod. With easy-to-follow steps and a touch of festive flair, this recipe embodies the joy of holiday baking!

Recipe taken from The Hebridean Baker At Home
By Coinneach Macleod
Published by Black and White Publishing

Aran na Nollaig

Not only does this festive table centrepiece look stunning, but it also tastes absolutely great. This sweet Christmas bread, shaped like a festive wreath, has a delicious golden crust topped with delightful decorations; it’s a feast for the eyes and a delight for the taste buds. While I recommend enjoying it on the day it’s made, don’t fret if there are leftovers. The next day, simply toast it under the grill and spread with lots of butter or jam. Yum!

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

For the bread

180ml (¾ cup) milk

10g (½oz) dried yeast

450g (1lb) strong white bread flour

30g (1oz) sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

200g (7oz) cream cheese

50g (1¾oz) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 lemon, zested

50g (1¾oz) raisins

50g (1¾oz) glacé cherries

30g (1oz) flaked almonds, chopped

1 egg, beaten

For the glaze and decoration

100g (3½oz) icing sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons water

30g (1oz) glacé cherries, halved

30g (1oz) flaked almonds, toasted

METHOD

In a pan, heat the milk until just warm, stir in the yeast and whisk to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Add the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon into a bowl.

Pour the yeasty milk into the flour mixture, then add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and lemon zest. Using your hands, bring everything together into a rough dough. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for about
10 minutes.

Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for an hour until the dough has doubled in size.

Next, tip your dough onto a lightly floured surface, add the raisins, glacé cherries and chopped flaked almonds and knead until well combined and the fruits are distributed evenly through the dough.

Prepare a baking tray by lining it with baking parchment. Take the dough and roll it out on a floured surface, forming it into a long sausage measuring about 30cm (12”) in length. Carefully transfer to the baking tray and shape it into a festive wreath, ensuring that the ends are securely joined together.

Cover the wreath with a clean tea towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (400°F).

Brush the top of the wreath with the beaten egg and bake for about 25 minutes until golden.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, mix the icing sugar, lemon juice and water together. Drizzle the glaze over the top and decorate with your halves of glacé cherries and toasted almonds.

The Hebridean Baker At Home by Coinneach Macleod is published by Black and White Publishing, priced £26.00.