Cinnamon and Raisin Jumble Loaf

To make the dough, put the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook). Mix thoroughly.

Gently warm the milk with the butter until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and cool until lukewarm – your little finger should feel quite comfy dipped in the mixture. Add the egg and beat with a fork just to combine.

Add the milky liquid to the flour mixture and work everything together with your hand (or the mixer on lowest speed) to make a very soft but not sticky dough. If there are dry crumbs in the bowl or the dough seems dry and stiff, and hard to bring together, add more milk (or water) a tablespoon at a time; if the dough sticks to your fingers or the side of the bowl, work in a little more flour.

Turn out the dough on to a worktop lightly dusted with flour and knead thoroughly for about 8 minutes (about 4 minutes with the mixer on lowest speed) until the dough is silky smooth and feels very pliable and stretchy. Scatter the raisins over the dough and gently knead in for about 2 minutes (slightly less if using the mixer) until evenly distributed.

Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a snap-on lid or clingfilm. Leave to rise at normal room temperature for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough to deflate it before turning out on to a lightly floured worktop. Flour your fingers and, without kneading, gently pat out the dough to a rectangle roughly 2cm thick. Cover it lightly with a sheet of clingfilm and leave it to rest for 5 minutes – this will make it easier to roll out.

Meanwhile, for the filling, mix together the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Flour a rolling pin, then roll out the dough to a neat rectangle 30 x 40cm. Brush the dough with milk, then sprinkle the filling evenly over the damp surface, leaving a 1cm border clear at one long side. Roll up the dough, like a Swiss roll, from the other long side, then pinch the seam firmly together to seal.

With a large sharp knife, slice the roll of dough across into 14 rounds. Set the slices cut side up and cut them in half to make half-moon shapes.

Arrange a layer of dough pieces in the lined tin, dough-side down. The rest of the dough pieces can be set on top in a higgledy-piggledy jumble – make sure the pieces are touching but don’t press them in. Don’t flatten or neaten the top; let it look a bit lumpy.

Slip the tin into a large plastic bag, slightly inflate it so the plastic won’t stick to the dough as it rises and secure the ends. Leave the dough to rise at normal room temperature for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Towards the end of the rising time, heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Uncover the loaf and brush the bumpy top very gently with milk. Bake in the heated oven for about 35 minutes until the loaf is a good golden brown. To test if it is thoroughly cooked, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the bread, then lift it out using the ends of the paper strip. Peel off the paper and tap the underside of the loaf – it should sound hollow. If it doesn’t, put the paper back in place and the loaf back in the tin and bake for a further 5 minutes, then test again.

Cool on a wire rack before cutting into slices.