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Berawecka
Dried fruit and nut Christmas loaf
Berawecka: Alsace's dark Christmas loaf of dried pears, figs, prunes and nuts
In Alsace, berawecka (the name means 'pear loaf') is baked in early December and sliced thinly through Advent, often handed to neighbours and godchildren. It is mostly fruit: dried pears, figs, prunes, raisins and walnuts held together with just enough bread dough, spiced with cinnamon, star anise and clove. Alsatian families soak the fruit in kirsch; this version uses strong black tea, which keeps the loaf moist and alcohol-free, and you can add 3 tbsp kirsch to the soak for adults if you like. It is vegan, keeps for weeks wrapped in foil, and is lovely buttered with a cup of tea. Chef's tip: cut the pears and figs the same size as the raisins, so every slice holds a mosaic of fruit instead of big lumps that tear the loaf.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the fruit
- 7 oz dried pearsstalks removed, diced
- 5 ½ oz dried figsdiced
- 5 ½ oz pitted prunesdiced
- 3 ½ oz raisins
- 1 ¾ oz candied orange peelchopped
- 3 ½ oz walnutsroughly chopped
- 1 ¾ oz hazelnuts
- ¾ cup hot strong black tea
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground star anise
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 lemonzest only
For the dough
- 9 oz strong white flour
- 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup lukewarm water
To glaze
- 1 tbsp golden syrupwarmed with 1 tbsp water
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: The night before, put 7 oz dried pears, 5 ½ oz dried figs, 5 ½ oz pitted prunes, 3 ½ oz raisins and 1 ¾ oz candied orange peel in a bowl, pour over ¾ cup hot strong black tea and stir. Cover and leave overnight; the fruit should drink almost all the tea and turn plump.
10 minStep 2: Next day, stir 3 ½ oz walnuts, 1 ¾ oz hazelnuts, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground star anise, ¼ tsp ground cloves and 1 lemon into the soaked fruit.
Step 3: In another bowl mix 9 oz strong white flour, 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast, 1 tbsp caster sugar and ½ tsp salt, then add ½ cup lukewarm water and knead for 8 minutes to a smooth, springy dough. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
10 minStep 4: Tip the dough onto the fruit and squeeze and fold with wet hands until the dough disappears into the fruit. It will feel sticky and look more like fruit than bread: that is right.
5 minStep 5: Divide into two and shape each into a fat oval loaf about 20 cm long on a lined baking tray. Cover loosely and leave for 45 minutes; they will only puff a little.
Step 6: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Bake for 50–60 minutes, until dark brown and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean, with no raw dough clinging to it. If the tops darken too fast, lay foil over them after 30 minutes.
55 minStep 7: Brush the hot loaves with 1 tbsp golden syrup for a shine. A common mistake is slicing on the day: leave them wrapped for at least 2 days so the crumb settles, then slice thinly with a serrated knife.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does berawecka take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground cinnamon?
- A cinnamon stick, ground: about ½ tsp per stick.
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Perfect for:Christmas