Gluten Free fruit loaf for tea, or breakie or any time of the day

Loaded with tea soaked dried fruit and apples, yum!

Before I became Gluten and Dairy free I used to eat fruit loaves quite often. The combination of spices and sweetness from the dried fruit had its appeal, especially when the weather is getting a bit cooler. I used to eat it toasted with cottage cheese and honey (my husband thinks I'm weird and I have more weird taste when not pregnant).

Since the temperature has taken a bit of a nose dive in the last week, my cravings for the spices and sweet dried fruit has knocked on the door once more. I had made that delicious Gluten and Dairy free brioche not so long ago and that's was the texture I was after. With a few additions I was confident I could make this wonderful brioche into a fabulous autumn fruit loaf. So here is my made up version.

Before you even look at the recipe, the first step is to soak your 1/2 cup of dried fruit overnight in a cup of hot tea (I used Roibos, also called Red Tea with a Tbsp of Monin Chai Tea syrup and 2 tsp of vanilla. Keep the remaining liquid for the brioche).
Prepare the stewed apples by cutting 2 apples in small pieces, placing in a pan over medium heat with some cinnamon to taste, brown sugar and a little water.

Ingredients:

75g rice flour
75g tapioca flour
350g of cornstarch
4cc of dried yeast
2cc of salt
4cc of xanthan gum (or guar gum)
225g of soy milk
190g of liquid honey 
115g of grape seed oil (I used simple canola oil and it worked fine although the grapeseed oil would bring a nice dimension to the brioche)
4 eggs + 1 egg for the glaze (I actually brushed milk on top and sprinkled some palm sugar)
2tsp vanilla extract
caster sugar
1 Tbsp of mixed spices (I personally found this was not enough so if you like the spices to be dominant please feel free to add some more)
Soaked dried fruits
Stewed apples


Mix in a large bowl, salt, flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum (or guar gum), cinnamon
In another bowl, combine milk, 4 eggs, honey, oil and vanilla extract.
Stir in flour and mix previous with the hook of your robot hand for 5 minutes to incorporate all the flour. Once all is well incorporated, add the Soaked fruit and juice and stewed apples. Mix for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Leave the dough covered with a damp cloth for 1:30 (to make sure the dough is going to rise in a warm place I preheat the oven at 50 Degree C while I make the brioche and then turn it off when I put the bowl in).
Grease a mold and incorporate all the dough
Smooth the top of the dough with your fingers moistened
Let stand again 40 minutes.  
Beat remaining egg and use it to brown the top of the bun
Sprinkle lightly with sugar on top of the bun
Bake at 180 ° C (gas mark 6) for 35 minutes. You will need to keep an eye on this one because of the all the extra moisture in it so it might be more than 35 minutes. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife.

Happy Baking everyone :)