Grandmother's Iced Tea Bread

My grandmother was definitely one for an afternoon tea or high tea. She was a fabulous baker and I have many fond memories of her being up a the crack of doom and baking bread. It was such a glorious smell to wake up to and as soon as I smell fresh bread all those memories come flooding back.  One of the things she used to make  was tea bread.  When she made it of course it was still loose leaf tea. No tea bags in our house. She would make a large pot of tea, stronger enough to stand a spoon up in as she would have said. She would have a cup and the rest was used to make her tea bread.  My grandmother died when I was 10 years old and although my mother made the same tea bread it never was quite the same as my grandmothers, maybe it was just that she hadn't made it that was missing.   I haven't made tea bread for a long time but with spring finally peeping around the corner, even if its threatening rain again today, I thought I would resurrect my grandmothers tea bread just for you.

You will need a 900g (2lb) loaf tin which you will need to grease and line or if like me you have loaf tin liners, which you can purchase at most supermarkets these days, that will work just as well I've never used the silicone liners they have now so not sure whether one of those would work or not.

The ingredients you will need

225g (8oz) raisins

115g (4oz) sultanas

300m; (1/2) pint of strong hot tea

225g (8oz) light brown sugar

300g (10 1/2 oz) Self raising flour

11/2 tsp ground mixed spice

1 egg beaten

175g (6oz) icing sugar

5-6 tsp orange juice

In Preparation

The night before you intend to make your tea bread you will need to place the raisins and sultanas in a large bowl, pour over the hot tea and stir to mix. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and set aside. Stir the brown sugar into the dried fruit mixture, then sift in the flour and mixed spice. Add the egg and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.

Turn the mixture into the loaf tin and level the surface. Bake for 1 1/4 hours, or until risen and firm to touch - a fine skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean or in my case a knitting needle. The skewer being something else I've not found since we moved house. 

Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Combine the icing sugar and orange juice to make a thick icing. Spread this icing evenly over the top of the cake. Leave to set.

Tea bread is nice at anytime of the day but is especially nice with a well earned cuppa. Its a very moist bread and simply delicious. I can't tell you how long it will last in an air tight container because quite frankly it doesn't last long enough in our house to be able to tell you.

Enjoy

Mx