chunky fig jam and fennel bread

one of my daughters was bringing her boyfriend to meet me for the first time this week on the evening of my children's and my customary fortnightly meal together so you'd think i'd have played it safe in the culinary department..to a certain extent i did but then at the last minute a loaf of olive and oregano bread morphed into a chunky fig jam and fennel loaf..and then it needed some cheese to go with it so while it was cooking i made a dash for my favourite delicatessen and bought a large piece of beautiful french brie..personally i would have preferred a stinky blue but the evening wasn't just all about me so at least i did play it safe with the cheese..

chunky fig jam and fennel bread

tea with hazel 

ingredients

400 gms strong white flour

100 gms wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon (tsp) yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons salt (i use murray river salt)

cold water

2-3 tsp fennel seeds

approx 125 gms of fig jam preferably with large pieces of fig (i used home made)

method 

~ mix flours, yeast and 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds with enough cold water to make a slightly sticky dough

~ leave for 10 minutes and then add salt and mix for 30 seconds

~ rest for 10 minutes and then mix for 30 seconds

~ remove bowl for the mixer, cover dough with oiled cling film, and rest until doubled

~ remove the dough from the bowl and without adding flour or oil knead dough until it is no longer sticky

~ rest the dough for 15 minutes and knead briefly 

~ repeat the above and then rest the dough for a further 15 minutes

~ on a lightly flour dusted board roll the dough into a large oval

~ place the large fig pieces evenly on the dough, thinly spread the jam paste between the fig pieces and sprinkle with about 1 tsp of fennel seeds

~ roll the dough up, seal the ends, and place the dough seam side down on a baking paper lined tray

~ dust with flour and leave until well risen and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an indentation

~ bake at 250 deg c with steam for 20 minutes

~ reduce heat to 180 deg c and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the loaf is well browned

note: apologies for the poor quality photos but they were taken quickly while the hoards were waiting to devour it..and by the way my daughter's boyfriend must have liked it because my daughter told me later that he ate the chunk of bread she'd taken with her..