Blueberry Swirl Loaf

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6-8

Ingredients

125ml water, lukewarm

140ml full cream milk, lukewarm

2¼ tsp dry active yeast

400g plain flour

1 tsp salt

2 ½ tbsp caster sugar

50g unsalted butter, melted plus extra for greasing

For the Filling

250g fresh blueberries

80g caster sugar 

Juice 1 lemon

½ egg, whisked for egg wash

Method

For the filling, in a small saucepan on low heat mix the blueberries, caster sugar and lemon juice together. Gently boil for 15-20 minutes until jammy, remove from heat and cool completely.

For the brioche, in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a kneading hook, add the lukewarm water, dry active yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir and let stand for 10-15 minutes until foamy.

To the yeast mixture, add the flour, salt, and sugar. Mix to combine. Add the lukewarm milk and melted butter, and continue to knead on medium-low speed for 3-4 minutes until a soft and smooth dough forms. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Form into a ball and place into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, for about an hour in a warm place.

Grease a 22 cm loaf tin with butter and set aside. Roll into a rectangle, approximately 40 cm long by 20cm wide. Spread your blueberry jam over the surface, leaving a 1 cm border on the sides.

Starting with the long side, roll until you reach the end. Pinch seams and ends together. Then take both ends and twist to make a 2-strand braid. Carefully lift the brioche and place it into the greased loaf tin (a bench scraper under the loaf works well for this).

Cover the loaf tin. Allow to rise until the dough has doubled in size for about 45-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Once the loaf has risen, remove cover and brush with some egg wash and bake for 30-40 minutes. If the loaf is already well browned, cover loosely with a piece of foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing from the loaf tin and cooling on a wire rack. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.