Family fruit teabread

This traditional English teabread incorporated fabulous fruit for the perfect morning or afternoon tea. - by Hannah Oakshott

Family fruit teabread

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This traditional English teabread incorporated fabulous fruit for the perfect morning or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

350 g mixed dried fruit

225 g light muscovado sugar

300 ml 2 tsp Earl Grey tea or 2 tea bags, brewed

275 g self-raising flour

zest 1 lemon

1 large egg, beaten

Method

Put the mixed dried fruit and sugar into a bowl, stir to mix, then pour over the hot tea. Cover the bowl and leave in a cool place overnight to allow the fruit to plump up.
Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan. Lightly grease a 900 loaf tin and line it with a wide strip of non-stick baking parchment to go up the wide sides and over the base.
Add the flour, lemon zest and beaten egg to the fruit mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the surface.
Bake for 1¼-1½ hrs or until the teabread is well risen and firm to the touch and a fine skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 mins, then loosen with a small palette knife. Turn the teabread out and leave on a wire rack to cool. Peel off the parchment and serve the teabread sliced and buttered.