A great, economical and simple stand-by for feeding hungry kids or to take to an event, this is a family favourite. The ingredient list may surprise you! There are two steps - the soaking, then the mixing and cooking. I often do the first step and then move onto other things, and come back to complete it when I have time.
Ingredients:
1 cup hot black tea
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup dried fruit - my fave is half and half diced apricots and sultanas
2 cups self-raising flour, or 2 cups plain flour plus 3 tsp baking powder
1 egg (optional)
Note: You can use any size cup to measure for this recipe, so long as it's consistent, as everything is based on the same measurement. I use a coffee mug (300ml) usually rather than a metric cup, and cook it in a large loaf tin.
1 cup hot black tea
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup dried fruit - my fave is half and half diced apricots and sultanas
2 cups self-raising flour, or 2 cups plain flour plus 3 tsp baking powder
1 egg (optional)
Note: You can use any size cup to measure for this recipe, so long as it's consistent, as everything is based on the same measurement. I use a coffee mug (300ml) usually rather than a metric cup, and cook it in a large loaf tin.
Method:
Place hot tea, sugar and dried fruit into a bowl. Stir, cover, and set aside until cool. Add flour/baking powder and egg. Stir to combine well. Pour batter into greased loaf tin. Bake 45 mins at 180C/350F until cooked through - skewer comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. To serve: slice thinly and butter.
Notes: Adding the egg makes the loaf rise much better and cook more evenly. Without it, it can be difficult to tell when it's properly cooked. Cooked it is delicious. Undercooked in the middle, not nice at all! So if you skip the egg, err on the side of well done.
I have made this using my gluten free flour blend, but the blend I used had coconut flour rather than almond meal (coconut flour can be very unpredictable in baking) and the result tasted good but was very crumbly. I need to play with it a bit more.
Place hot tea, sugar and dried fruit into a bowl. Stir, cover, and set aside until cool. Add flour/baking powder and egg. Stir to combine well. Pour batter into greased loaf tin. Bake 45 mins at 180C/350F until cooked through - skewer comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. To serve: slice thinly and butter.
Notes: Adding the egg makes the loaf rise much better and cook more evenly. Without it, it can be difficult to tell when it's properly cooked. Cooked it is delicious. Undercooked in the middle, not nice at all! So if you skip the egg, err on the side of well done.
I have made this using my gluten free flour blend, but the blend I used had coconut flour rather than almond meal (coconut flour can be very unpredictable in baking) and the result tasted good but was very crumbly. I need to play with it a bit more.
Perfect buttered and served with a nice hot cuppa, or some Water Kefir