My ‘Panettone Style Sweet Bread’ is easy to make, but it takes time and folding the Mixed Fruit into the dough is not super easy, I admit. Today I tried to make the same Sweet Bread in a different way. I didn’t knead the dough. I just mixed everything together with extra Milk and made a very soft dough that is similar to a cake batter. This method worked really well. The texture of the bread was similar to sponge cake. I am very happy with the result. Because kneading is sometimes hard to do with my aching hands, no-kneading method is great.


Makes

18cm Deep Cake Pan *I used an oven-safe saucepan

Ingredients

1 cup Mixed Fruit
*Note: Mixed Fruit that I used was mix of Raisins, Sultanas, Black Currants, Mixed Peel and Glacé Cherries
2 to 4 tablespoons Rum OR Brandy
3 cups Bread Flour
2 teaspoons (1 Sachet/7g) Dry Yeast
1/4 cup Caster Sugar *add extra 1-2 tablespoons for sweeter flavour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Warm Milk
3 Eggs *lightly whisked, save 1/2 tablespoon for glazing
125g Butter *softened

Method
  1. Place Mixed Fruit in a heat-proof bowl, add Rum (OR Brandy), mix to stir, and set aside for a few hours. *Note: Heat in the microwave for 1 minute to warm up, so that the Dried Fruit soak up Rum quickly and will be ready in 1 hour.
  2. Place Bread Flour, Yeast, Sugar and Salt in a large bowl, and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour warm Milk, Eggs and softened Butter. Mix to form a soft dough, then add Mixed Fruit, and combine well.
  3. Cover the dough with a plate or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
  4. Prepare a cake tin. Grease with butter OR line with baking paper. *Note: Today I used my 18cm saucepan that is oven-safe.
  5. Turn the gooey sticky dough onto a floured surface, sprinkle with extra Flour and form the dough into a ball, and place it in the prepared tin with a smooth side up.

  6. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  7. Cut a shallow cross on top, brush with the saved Egg, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. (As I used a saucepan, it took slightly longer.) When the top gets too dark, cover with a sheet of foil. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.