Skip to content ↓

Hospitality and Catering


Key Stage 4

Content being updated.

Iced Fruit Bread Wreath Recipe 

Iced Fruit Bread Wreath



For the dough

450 grams strong flour

½ tsp salt

7 g sachet yeast

50 grams castor sugar

150 ml warm milk

1 egg- beaten

50 g butter- plus extra for greasing the tin


For the filling:

150 grams dried fruit- e.g. dried cherries, mixed peel, cranberries, raisins, sultanas, dried apricots- chopped, (use a mixture for the best results)

25 g caster sugar

1- 2 tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice.

25 grams softened butter.

For the decoration

150g/3½oz icing sugar

Glace fruit to decorate

1 lemon, juice only- optional

2 tbsp. apricot jam- optional

Remember your apron/whites, parchment paper and a large container.



Preheat oven 180°C 

Sieve the flour, salt into a mixing bowl.

Add the yeast and sugar and mix well.

Warm the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Melt butter in a saucepan on low heat.

If using water instead of Milk- Measure warm water into a jug (40 ml cold and 10 ml boiling). 

Break the egg and beat lightly with a fork.

Make a well at the centre of the flour and pour in the warm milk, 50 ml warm water, beaten egg and melted butter. Mix everything to form a dough. If it is too dry add some warm water and if it is too wet add some flour.

Knead on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and springy. Microwave for 20 seconds.

Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove while you prepare the filling

For the filling, combine the fruit in one bowl, and the sugar and cinnamon/ mixed spice in another.

Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knockback the dough and lightly knead.

Roll the dough out into a 20 x 35 cm rectangle, taking care not to knock all the air out.

Spread the butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough and then cover with the mixed fruit.

Starting at a long side, carefully roll the dough up into a cylinder (like a Swiss roll). Shape into a ring then uses water to stick the two ends together to form a wreath.

Grease a large baking tray with butter and line it. Lift the dough onto the tray and, using scissors, make vertical cuts around the outer edge of the ring, leaving a 3-4 cm gap between each cut.

Put the formed ring to prove- until it is twice its size.

Bake the proved loaf for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 160° C. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown, or until cooked through and golden-brown.

For the decoration, 

Allow cooling as you make the icing. Sieve the icing sugar into a basin, and add cold water- a tsp at a time until a thick smooth icing forms.

Pour over or drizzle evenly.

Decorate with the glace fruit.


Make icing by combining the lemon juice and the icing sugar until smooth. When fully cooled, drizzle the lemon icing over the loaf and serve.

You can also glaze with the melted apricot jam.