Himbasha

Ingredients

• 500g plain flour
• 7g instant yeast
• 80g caster sugar
• 1.5 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 100g raisins
• 80g butter, melted, or niter kibbeh
• 250ml warm milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp butter, for glazing

Before you cook

• Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain them well
• Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cardamom and ground coriander together in a large bowl
• Beat the egg into the warm milk
• Grease a 24cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper

Steps

1. Pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to a shaggy dough.
2. Add the melted butter and work it in until the dough comes together.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until it is smooth, soft and springy.
4. Flatten the dough and scatter the drained raisins over it.
5. Fold and knead the dough for another minute so the raisins are spread evenly through it.
6. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it, and leave it somewhere warm for 1 hour until doubled.
7. Knock the dough back and shape it into a tight ball.
8. Press the ball into the lined tin so it reaches the edges evenly.
9. Score a deep cross into the top of the dough with the blunt back of a knife, cutting almost to the base.
10. Score the dough again between each arm of the cross so you have eight wedges radiating from the centre.
11. Press a small circle into the very centre with the rim of a glass.
12. Cover the tin and prove for 35 minutes until visibly puffed.
13. Heat the oven to 180C.
14. Bake the himbasha for 35 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
15. Warm the honey with the tablespoon of butter until melted.
16. Brush the hot loaf all over with the honey butter and leave it in the tin for 10 minutes.
17. Turn the bread out and serve it warm, pulled apart along the scored wedges.