Currant bread

Krentenbrood

400 grams/14 oz flour
2 tsp salt
1½ tsp fine berry sugar
2 deciliter/1 cup milk
30 grams/1 oz yeast
65 grams/1 1/3 oz butter
310 grams/11 oz currants
½ egg

Put the flour in a bowl and mix in the salt and most of the sugar. In a separate bowl, put in a bit of the lukewarm milk, add the crumbled yeast and the rest of the sugar. Let dissolve for a minute, then mix gently and allow it to bubble. Add the butter to the remainder of the lukewarm milk.

Make a hollow in the top of the flour and pour in the yeast, the egg and the butter/milk mix. From the middle, mix the flour well, until the dough is smooth and lump-free. Knead it by hand (and beat it or slam it on the counter top) for about 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and shiny. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise to double the size in about one hour.

Brush a 2-quart loaf pan with butter. Wash the currants and dry them thoroughly. Dust them lightly with flour. Knead the currants well through the risen dough. Spread out the dough to the length of the loaf pan. Roll the dough sheet and put it, seam down, into the pan. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise again until it fills the entire pan.

Put the loaf into a preheated oven (200ºC/395ºF) and bake the loaf for 30 minutes until done and golden brown. Take out of the oven, brush the top with water and put it back in for another minute.

Turn the loaf onto a wire rack and tap the bottom of the pan to check if the loaf is done. If tapping produces a hollow sound, the bread is ready. If not, put it back into the oven for another few minutes.

The dough also can be used to make krentenbollen. Form it into balls, put these on a greased baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel to let rise. Brush the tops with lightly beaten egg and bake for about 10 minutes.