Carrot and raisin loaf

Think warming cup of tea, a hot-cross-bun-like taste, but with a little more spice and that delicious comfort feeling of a freshly baked bread loaf. This carrot cake breakfast bread is one of my FAVES. A quick Google will teach you how to knead (if you're not sure - (I wasn't!). I've only made this twice now, but I really wanna put the recipe on here because I know I'll be coming back to it again and again!

You will need:

- 7g of fast action yeast

- 200ml lukewarm water

- 3tbsp agave nectar (or syrup)

- 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp ginger, 200g grated carrot

- 400g strong wholemeal bread flour

- 70g raisins, grated zest of an orange

*Top tip*

Make sure the water isn't hot, just a little warm. Its used to activate the yeast, you don't want to kill it before it has a chance to create the rise!

Recipe:

1. Stir the yeast, lukewarm water and agave nectar in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes, then stir in the oil, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger and carrot

2. Gradually add the flour and mix to form a dough - At this point it will be quite wet

3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes

4. Next, tip a little oil into the bowl and put the kneaded dough back in. Loosely coat the dough in the oil and cover the bowl with cling film. Allow to prove for ~1h. Allow it to double in size

5. Finally, grease a loaf tin. Then take the proven dough and pat it out into a rectangle about as long as the loaf tin and 2cm thick. Sprinkle the raisins over and place the dough in the loaf tin, folding over the edges to make it fit

6. Cover with cling film and leave for 30 to 45 minutes (allowing it to rise again)

7. Bake at 180 for about 50 minutes and enjoy the scent of freshly baked bread filling your home!