Friday, 27 January 2012

Abigail's Tea Loaf


We are a household full of coughs, colds and high temperatures this week. I have not felt well since Monday, Bella was off school again yesterday and today, John feels a cold coming on...we just need Angus to catch it now so that we can all look forward to a weekend of no sleep.

All this illness and the fact that it's STILL January calls for a lot of sitting on the sofa, drinking tea and eating cake. I am slightly obsessed with this tea loaf at the moment. I think I've made four in the last couple of weeks. It is very easy (that seems to be a bit of a reoccurring theme in my kitchen - no difficult recipes thank you very much).

The recipe is from my best friend Abigail and she was given it by a family member. I just love the fact that it's all in imperial measurements. It makes it feel more handed down somehow. All the recipes my Mum gives me are in imperial as that is how she cooks, whereas I think in metric when I'm cooking. But since most scales show both measurements it's not a problem.

You need: 

12 fluid ounces of cold tea
12 ounces mixed dried fruit (I use whatever is in the cupboard)
10 ounces self raising flour
7 ounces soft brown sugar
1 egg, beaten

Soak the dried fruit in the tea, ideally overnight, but for at least a couple of hours. 



Pre heat the oven to 130 degrees C. Add the flour, sugar and beaten egg to the fruit and tea, mix it well, then bake in a loaf tin for around an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half. I usually start checking it after an hour as my oven incinerates things.

When it's cool slice it and and eat it with butter. And a cup of tea.




9 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting this recipe. We used to sell a lovely tea loaf at Staunton when I worked there years ago but I've never made one. Looks easy, which I too like, although I'll have to convert the measurements as I only have metric weights for my scales. I'd love to make some this weekend but we currently have a cupboard full of cake; mince pies (was using up some mincemeat from Christmas), German Friendship cake from freezer and Rocky Roads and chocolate brownies from mum. So I think I should wait until we actually need more cake. (I never like to find myself without any in the cupboard.)

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    1. Anna, i will do all future recipes in imperial AND metric just for you :-)
      I am very envious of your well stocked cake supplies!

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  2. mmm!! this afternoon i´m trying this new receipe!!!!! fab!!

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  3. So glad it is getting passed on! I meant to say, I often use much darker sugars which I think gives a really nice depth of flavour.

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  4. Thanks for the tip! I think I used golden caster sugar but can see how something like muscavado would be much nicer.

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  5. I made this tea loaf this morning having soaked the fruit for about 12 hours over night. It is so moist and delicious. I had lunch with a friend and took the cake along and she loved it too. Thanks for the recipe.

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    1. Oh, I am so glad you enjoyed it. It's so easy to make, isn't it. Thanks for letting me know. x

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  6. I made this last night, it was amazing, thank you for sharing the recipe!

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