My Todd is a very simple man with very simple tastes. There is nothing he loves more than a fruit tea loaf, and this is one of the best. The recipe has been adapted from one I found in the cookery book, Supper For a Song by Tamasin Day-Lewis.
Its a really simple loaf to make but does need some prior planning, as you need to soak the fruit overnight in an amount of Earl Grey Tea, which really helps to plump up the fruit nicely. I love the flavours of Earl Grey, with the Bergamot . . .
I like to use a really nice fruit when I make a fruit loaf. I use a quality dried fruit mix, with plenty of sultanas, currants, raisins and cherries. I also added some dried cranberries to the mix, but dried blueberries would also be nice.
Its also very low in fat, in that there is no fat added. Just the soaked fruit, some dark brown sugar, a beaten egg and some self rising flour. It goes together lickety split!
This is delicious cut into thin slices. You can toast it or not . . . but a tiny bit of softened butter is also a great addition when you come down to eating it.
Oh boy . . . a lightly buttered slice of this goes down really well with a nice drink at breakfast, or for coffee time, tea time, or just because, just because . . . just because you fancy something a little bit like this. Oh we are so naughty sometimes!
*Earl Grey Fruited Tea Loaf*Makes one 2 pound loafPrintable Recipe
This is a moist and fruity loaf that is delicious sliced thinly and buttered, toasted or not as you please. Plan ahead as you must soak the fruit overnight prior to baking. I use a luxury mix of fruit, which has dried currants, sultanas, raisins, dried cranberries and cherries. This loaf keeps beutifully and freezes well. You can keep it for about a week wrapped in greaseproof paper, foil or in an airtight tin.
400g mixed dried fruit (2 2/3 cups)120g dark muscovado sugar (1/2 cup, plus 1 TBS, packed, can use dark brown sugar)300ml hot earl gray tea, freshly made and strongly steeped (1 1/3 cups)225g self raising flour (1 1/4 cups plus 3 tsp)1 large free range egg, beaten lightly
Place the fruit into a bowl along with the sugar. Pour the hot tea over it. Cover with a tea towel and leave to set overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 2 pound loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
Sift the flour over the dried fruit in the bowl and add the beaten egg. Stir everything together until combined. Spread into the prepared loaf tin.
Bake for 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack. Turn out once cold and remove the paper. Store airtight. I like to leave it overnight before slicing.
Simple and old fashioned. You can't get much better than this! Bon Appetit!
