Sourdough Dried Fruit Bread

The mixture of dried fruits is first ground, steeped in a spicy brew, drained then combined with the flours prior to making the dough. This prevents the fruit from floating or sinking and helps to keep the bread moist. This bread is whole grain, with whole rye, wheat and spelt flours. The softness of the spelt also helps keep the bread moist.

Aromatic Fruit

Grind fruits in mini food processor.
1 cup dried fruits (mine has apricots, raisins and dates)

Bring liquid to a boil.
2 tablespoon 2 teaspoon water
2 tablespoon 2 teaspoon wine
Add spices to the liquid.
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
5 cloves
Pour spices and liquid over ground fruits.  Soak for 30 minutes. Drain fruit. Remove cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves.  Squeeze liquid from fruit. 

Bread

Mix together flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.
14 tablespoon whole rye flour
14 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt 
Add lemon zest and drained ground fruit.
Zest from 1 lemon
Ground, soaked and drained fruit

Beat egg into sourdough starter.
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 egg

Mix together milk and yogurt.
11 tablespoon nonfat milk
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
Add melted butter to milk and yogurt.
3 tablespoon butter

Add flour blend to bowl with sourdough-egg mix, alternately with liquid blend. Mix only until dry flours are not visible.

Pour dough into prepared pan.
8 1/2 inch X 4 1/2 inch loaf pan, greased with olive oil spray.

Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.