Method

1. First start to prepare the filling. Place the apricots and orange juice in a bowl and set aside to marinate overnight.

2. To make the dough, place the strong white flour, salt, butter, warm milk, yeast and egg in a mixing bowl.

3. Mix well together to form a dough.

4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 minutes.

5. Return the dough to the cleaned-out mixing bowl and set aside to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

6. While the dough is rising, drain the marinated apricots.

7. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and muscovado sugar until fluffy. Mix in the drained apricots, flour, raisins, walnuts and orange zest.

8. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, approximately 25 x 33cm.

9. Spread the apricot mixture evenly over the dough rectangle.

10. Roll up the rectangle tightly until it resembles a Swiss roll. Roll it slightly then cut lengthways along the dough and plait the 2 dough lengths together.

11. Place the dough plait on a lined baking sheet and set aside to rise for 1 hour.

12. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

13. Bake for 25 minutes until risen and golden.

14. Towards the end of the baking time gently warm the apricot jam in a small pan.

15. Brush the freshly baked loaf with the warm apricot jam to glaze it. Set it aside to cool.