There is nothing better than a cup of tea enjoyed with a tasty sweet, and a homemade tea loaf is the perfect cosy treat on a lazy afternoon.
Chef Rick Stein has shared his recipe for a “traditional” Cornish fruit tea loaf which he highly recommends eating with a generous spread of butter and homemade plum compote.
On his BBC show about Cornwall, Rick explained that it is his “firm belief” that this easy-to-bake loaf is “the perfect pairing for a cup of tea.”
Rick said: “I think tea without a slice of cake is really not worth having, and what I particularly like is a cake with fruit in it.”
This is the perfect snack to make for yourself at the weekend or for guests during Easter, as this springtime treat is incredibly simple and made with a handful of ingredients.
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Instructions
To make a fruit tea loaf:
To begin, make tea in a pot and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Place the dried fruit and lemon zest in a bowl and then pour over the hot tea.
Cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel and leave the mixture to soak for a couple of hours or overnight.
When the mixture is ready, preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and then line the base of a loaf tin with baking paper.
In another mixing bowl, mix the eggs and brown sugar together with a wooden spoon, then slowly stir in the flour, mixed spice and tea-soaked fruit into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and place in the oven. Bake for approximately one hour and 15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Once ready, leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then take out of the loaf tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the plum compote:
Place the stoned plums in a pan along with a splash of water. Then, add the sugar and stir on a low heat until dissolved.
Increase the heat and boil the mixture until it has a jam-like consistency and then pour into a jar, or use immediately.
Your tasty fruit loaf and plum compote are now ready to serve.
