English Saffron Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Steep the saffron in the hot water overnight. Make sure you use a container that is covered to keep the heat inside. This step is crucial to getting the taste and flavor you want in the bread.
• The next morning, Sift the flour into a very large bowl add the sugar then cut in the butter and crisco using a pastry cutter.
• Add the currants, raisins, orange peel, lemon rind, nutmeg, salt and saffron water.
• Mix together, then sprinkle the yeast on the top of the mixture and add the lukewarm water.
• Knead the bread mixture until everything is combined. The bread should be a light orange/dark yellow in color.
• Then place the bread in a warm location, covered. And allow to rise until doubled in size.
• Once doubled, knead the bread again, and allow to rise until doubled one more time.
• Cut the dough into 6 loaves.
• Knead each dough ball and then place the loaves into greased loaf pans.
• Cover the pans and allow to rise until about level with the top of the pans.
• Bake the loaves at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Steps:

• put the saffron in a jug and pour in 230 ml of hot water.
• leave to infuse for at least 20 minutes.
• put the butter and sugar in a large saucepan and stir over a moderate heat.
• When the butter has melted and mixed with the sugar, add the sultanas and cherries.
• pour in the saffron water.
• return to heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• leave to cool.
• preheat over to 180c/gas 4.
• grease and line a 500gr loaf tin.
• stir in the flour/salt and baking powder and slowly stir into saffron mixture to form a batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for between 1 and 1 and quarter hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• leave to cool on a rack.
• serve in slices with butter.
• I have a 1 KG tin, so just use double the mixture and bake longer