Saffron Bread

Large Pinch Saffron Threads
4 Tbsp Boiling Water
1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
6 Fl Oz Milk -- Warmed
1 Lb Bread Flour
Pinch Salt
1 Tsp Nutmeg -- Freshly Ground
5 Oz Butter
8 Oz Currants
2 Oz Candied Peel
2 Eggs -- Beaten

Place the saffron in a bowl and pour on the boling water. Leave it to infuse overnight. In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Leave this to stand five minutes till dissolved. Place the flour in a mixing bowl and add the salt and nutmeg. Rub in the butter. Toss in the currants and peel. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the saffron and saffron water, yeast mixture and eggs. Mix everything to a dough. Knead the dough in the bowl. Cover it and leave it in a warm place for an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Preheated the oven to 350F. Knead the dough again. either divide it in half and put it into two greased 1lb tins , or divide it into sixteen buns and place them on a floured baking sheet. Cover the loaves and buns wiht a cloth again and leave them in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until the loaves have risen about 1/2 in above the top of the tins and the buns have almost doubled in size.

Bake the loaves for an hour and the buns for 30 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Eat plain or buttered.

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