Ingredients

Method

• 1 kg cake flour
• 2 t salt
• 100 g sugar
• 10 g instant yeast
• 4 T fennel seeds (or aniseed)
• 100 g butter, melted
• 1 cup white grape juice, heated
• ½ cup warm milk
• 1 cup warm water
• simple syrup made with ¼ cup honey and 2 T hot water

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, salt and sugar together into a large bowl. Add the yeast and fennel seeds.

2. Add the melted butter, grape juice, milk and water and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic using your mixer’s dough hook attachment, or by hand on a lightly floured surface.

3. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover and prove in a warm spot for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

4. Place the dough on a floured surface, knock out all the air and knead for a further 5 minutes until smooth. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, then divide each piece into two so you have 12 equal pieces of dough.

5. Shape each piece of dough into a ball and fill two 20–23 cm loaf tins each with 6 tightly packed balls. Prove again for 30–45 minutes.

6. Once risen, brush with the sugar syrup and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly and turn out onto a wire rack and brush with the syrup again before serving.

Find more bread recipes here.

Photograph: Myburgh Du Plessis

Food assistants: Bianca Strydom & Keletso Motau