Sweet saffron bread

Ingredients

For the sponge
100ml/3½fl oz milk, at room temperature
¾ tsp fresh yeast, crumbled
100ml/3½oz plain flour
For the dough
12 threads saffron
¾ tsp boiling water
250g/9oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
25g/1oz caster sugar
scant ½ tsp fine sea salt
30g/1¼oz unsalted butter, softened and broken into small pieces
150ml/5½fl oz milk, at room temperature
100g/3½oz currants
cornmeal, for dusting
1 free-range egg, beaten

Method

1. For the sponge, place the milk, yeast and flour into a bowl and beat together until smooth. Cover and leave in a warm place (not hot) for one hour, until the mixture is bubbling and smells 'yeasty'.
2. For the dough, cover the saffron threads with boiling water in a small cup and leave for ten minutes to infuse.
3. Place the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl and mix together well.
4. Add the butter and rub through the flour until it has completely combined with the dry ingredients to leave no lumps.
5. Place the milk and the saffron infused water into a bowl and whisk together well.
6. Add the saffron milk to the sponge mixture and stir well until completely combined.
7. Add the currants and stir well.
8. Add the sponge mix to the bowl of flour and stir well until you have a soft sticky dough. Cover the bowl and leave to rest for ten minutes.
9. Grease a flat clean work surface and knead the dough for ten seconds to finish with the dough in a smooth ball. Clean and dry the bowl and replace the dough ball into the bowl to rest for ten minutes.
10. Remove the dough and knead again on a greased, flat surface, shaping again into a ball. Replace into the bowl, cover and leave for one hour in a warm (not hot) place.
11. Place the dough onto a clean, flat surface, dusted with flour and shape into a baton. Cover with a clean cloth and leave for ten minutes.
12. Roll the dough out until you have a piece measuring 50cm/20in long. Keeping the dough length flat, spiral each end in upon itself to create an elaborate 'S' shape.
13. Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal and place the dough into the centre of the sheet. Cover with a clean cloth and leave for one hour, until the dough has almost doubled in height.
14. Preheat the oven to 210C/410F/Gas 6½.
15. Uncover the loaf and brush with beaten egg. Place into the centre of the oven to bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, until the loaf is golden-brown in colour and sounds hollow when tapped on the under-side.
16. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Recipe copyright Mitchell Beazley