Cramique du Nord

Ingredients

• 150 g raisins
• 3 tbsp dark rum or strong tea
• 500 g strong white bread flour
• 50 g caster sugar
• 10 g fine salt
• 20 g fresh yeast or 8 g dried yeast
• 200 ml warm whole milk
• 3 medium eggs
• 150 g soft unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin
• 100 g pearl sugar
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk, to glaze

Before you cook

• Soak the raisins in the rum topped up with warm water for 30 minutes, then drain and pat them dry.
• Crumble the yeast into the warm milk and leave it for 10 minutes until it foams.
• Butter a 900 g loaf tin and line the base with a strip of baking paper.
• Cut the soft butter into small cubes.

Steps

1. Put the flour, caster sugar and salt in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
2. Add the yeasted milk and the three eggs and knead on medium speed for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth.
3. Add the butter cubes a few at a time and knead for a further 10 minutes, until the dough is silky and comes away from the bowl.
4. Add the drained raisins and 60 g of the pearl sugar and mix on low for 45 seconds only, so the sugar does not dissolve.
5. Cover the bowl and leave to rise for 90 minutes at room temperature, until doubled.
6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back gently.
7. Divide it into three equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
8. Set the three balls side by side in the loaf tin.
9. Cover loosely and prove for 60 minutes, until the dough domes 2 cm above the rim.
10. Heat the oven to 170C fan.
11. Brush the top gently with the egg glaze and scatter the remaining 40 g pearl sugar over it.
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and reading 92C in the centre.
13. Cover the loaf with foil after 25 minutes if the crust is darkening too quickly.
14. Turn the cramique out onto a rack and cool it completely before slicing thickly and buttering.