Earl Grey Fruited Tea Loaf

This fruit tea loaf is infused with Earl Grey tea and combines delicate flavours of bergamot with citrus notes. Serve sliced, spread with lashings of butter; an ideal afternoon tea offering, accompanied by a pot of freshly made tea.

Ingredients

2 earl grey tea bags (can’t beat Twinings)
200ml boiling water
200g gluten and wheat free plain white flour (I use Doves Farm)
2 tsp gluten and wheat free baking powder
300g mixed dried fruit - sultanas - currants - raisins - prunes - dates - apricots
100g soft brown sugar
1 free range egg - beaten
4 tbsp sunflower oil
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon

Information

Serves: 8

Diet: Gluten and Wheat Free

Cuisine: British

Type: Treats

Method

Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 75 mins

Start by putting the earl grey tea bags into a jug. Add the boiling water and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Line a 1kg/2lb loaf tin with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, 350°F, Gas mark 4.

In a bowl, add the dried fruits (use whatever combination you like). If you are using dried prunes, apricots or dates, these will need cutting into quarters. Pour the tea and teabags over the fruit and leave them to soak, until the tea is completely cold.

Sieve the flour and the baking powder into another bowl and add the brown sugar and mix. Add the egg, oil, grated orange and lemon zest and mix together well. Discard the tea bags and stir the soaked fruit and all the liquid into the flour mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 70-75 minutes. The loaf is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Serve sliced, with butter.

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