Dough
Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Pour in the milk and knead quickly to create a soft dough. Add the butter and continue to knead for approx. 5 mins. Cover and leave to rise at room temperature for approx. 1 hr. until doubled in size. Divide the dough in half.
Filling
Blitz half of the dough, apples, figs and sultanas in batches in a food processor. Mix with the hazelnuts and all the other ingredients up to and including the pear brandy.
fruit bread
Cut the remainder of the dough in half, roll out each half into a rectangle (approx. 20 x 25 cm). Place half of the mixture in the centre of each piece of dough. Brush the edges of the dough with egg, shape into two parcels, place seam-side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush the dough with egg, prick firmly with a fork.
To bake
Approx. 45 mins. in the centre of an oven preheated to 180°C. Remove from the oven, leave to cool on a cooling rack.