Ingredients

• 250 ml milk
• 50 g fresh yeast
• 70 g sugar
• 500 g all-purpose flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 180 g butter, melted cooled
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 250 g mixed dried fruit, small pieces (apricots,raisins,cherry,cranberry...)
• 100 g candied fruit (orange,lemon,cherry...)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground aniseed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 100 g slivered almonds
• 1 orange, zest of
• 1 lemon, zest of

Instructions

1. In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm milk.

2. In a large bowl put sugar, flour, egg yolks, butter rum add yeast mixture and using a wooden spoon stir all ingredients together.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hands until comes together than add dry fruit (chopped into small pieces), candied fruit, anise, nutmeg, almonds and zests.

4. Knead until you have moderately stiff and smooth dough. About 8-10 minutes.

5. Shape into a ball. Place into greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover with plastic wrap.

6. Let it rise in a warm place until double in size about 1 1/2 hours.

7. After that punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

8. Roll out into rectangle 4cm thick and then fold the long side over by half and other side over the first half (like business letter).

9. Carefully transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Let it rest for 20 minutes covered with towel.

10. Preheat oven to 180°C

11. Bake until golden brown about 30-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

12. While still hot brush with melted butter and sift a lot of icing sugar over the top.