Earl Grey Tealoaf

I used to hate things like this, didn't like fruit in cakes and buns at all. In fact, hard as it may be to believe but I used not like baked goods at all. Yes, I was MUCH skinnier back then! I didn't know what I was missing out on though, and once I started to change recipes to suit what I do like then I discovered that actually, fruity cakes aren't that bad at all. So here's my take on the humble tea loaf...made a bit fancier with posh tea and a variety of fruits.


Makes 1 loaf


Ingredients
350g mixture of sultanas, dried apricots and dried dates plus the zest of one lemon
140g dark muscovado sugar 
300ml hot black tea made with 2 earl grey teabags
300g self-raising flour
1 large egg

1. Put the fruit and sugar in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Stir well, then cover and leave to soak overnight (I actually leave it for 2-3 days).

2. To cook, heat oven to 150C/gas mark 2 and lightly grease a 1lb loaf tin and line with a wide strip of baking parchment (helps lift it out when it's done).

3. Stir the flour and egg into the fruit mixture, turn into the tin and level the surface. Bake for about an hour and a half until well risen and a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean.

4. Cool for a few mins in the tin then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool fully.

Gorgeous on it's own, spread with butter, toasted, or if you're feeling really bad fried with butter and golden syrup! Can be frozen too if you're making it ahead of a party or something, just wrap it in tinfoil and allow to thaw at room temperature.

Three Fruit Scones

I love fruit scones. I especially love ones that are bursting with fruit! It's such a shame that most scones these days are limited to a handful of raisins, there's so much more that could be added! I've used the dried fruits I happened to have in the kitchen for these, but try any combination you like, once you keep the quantities the same you'll be laughing!

Makes: 10 scones

Ingredients

120g dried fruits (I've used 45g sultanas, 45g chopped dried apricot, 30g chopped dried prunes)
450g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
120g butter
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons milk, plus extra for glazing
Pinch of salt
Orange juice for soaking

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
2. Put the fruit mixture in a bowl and pour in enough orange juice to cover. Stir, and leave aside.
3. In a large bowl mix your flour, salt and baking powder. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. In another bowl or a jug beat the eggs and milk together. Drain the fruit.
5. Make a well in the centre of your dry ingredients and pour in your egg mix, followed by the mixed fruit. Stir well, until you have a soft, dry dough.
6. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to a thickness of 2cm. Using a 7cm cutter cut circles from the dough. You'll need to add the scraps together and re-roll it to get all 10, but try not to over-work the dough either.
7. Place the scones on a baking sheet and glaze by dipping a pastry brush into some milk and brush over the scones.
8. Pop in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a lovely golden brown.
9. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. I'll have mine with real butter and a coffee thanks! :)