The final instalment of our Royal Recipes comes from Karen of Lavender & Lovage.
Featuring pieces from our Blue Regal Peacock collection, the original recipe comes from the book 'Royal Teas - Seasonal Recipes from Buckingham Palace', and is one that Karen has made countless times.
Like all tea breads, it's fat free, uses hot tea to soak the fruit before baking and is ideal for a Coronation Street Party.
Karen's Top Tips
The tea used to soak the mixed fruit is Earl Grey, so this tea loaf has a wonderfully aromatic and fragranced smell and flavour. If you aren’t a fan of Earl Grey tea, you can use any tea that you like. Karen sometimes uses Darjeeling tea. Loose tea can be used in place of tea bags.
If you don't have plain flour and baking powder, use Self Raising flour instead.
The original recipe suggests you brush honey over the top when it’s baked, Karen doesn't do this, but you can of course.
Similar to malt loaf, serve sliced with liberal amounts of butter (and jam). It’s also delicious toasted, which is a lovely treat for breakfast or supper.
It stays fresh for quite a long time and can be stored in an airtight tin for up to a week.
Royal Tea Bread Ingredients
- 150ml (5/8 cup) boiling water
- 2 x Earl Grey teabags
- 120g (5/8 cup) soft brown sugar
- 250g (1 1/4 cups) dried mixed fruit (golden sultanas, dried apricots, raisins and currants)
- 180g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 2 x free-range eggs, beaten
- 75g warmed honey to glaze, optional
Method
Yield is 12. Prep time 25 minutes. Cook time 40 minutes. Additional time 12 hours.
- Pour the boiling water over the teabags and allow to infuse for 10 minutes, then remove the teabags, add the sugar and the dried fruit. Ideally leave the fruit to soak for 12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 170ºC (325ºF, gas mark 3).
- Prepare a metal loaf tin by greasing with butter and lining the bottom and sides with baking paper. Place the lined tin on to a flat, heavy-duty baking tray and leave to one side until required.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the eggs and soaked fruit. Once all the ingredients are fully combined, spoon into the prepared loaf tin.
- Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 30* minutes or until the loaf turns a golden brown colour.
- OPTIONAL: When the loaf is almost baked, remove from the oven and liberally brush warm honey all over. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes until a golden glossy appearance is achieved. *If not glazing the loaf, bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool before removing from the loaf tin, and serving sliced with butter and jam.
Tag us in all your celebrations on social media; we love seeing how you use your Burleigh, plus your delicious creations! Don't forget to give Karen a follow too.
This recipe is part of a Coronation Tea Tray Supper by Karen Booth. Discover the other recipes using Burleigh Regal Peacock over on the Lavender & Lovage website.
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