I wanted to make another tea loaf for my blog but with a fruity tea. I had a lot of dried cranberries in my store cupboard so I decided to look for a cranberry tea so I could use up my dried cranberries.
I decided on a blood orange and cranberry tea and added some orange zest to the loaf and the flavours worked beautifully together.
Tea loaf is traditionally made with black tea and served as part of an afternoon tea, sliced and spread with butter. I do have a traditional tea loaf on my blog if you prefer!
This is a really easy bake that needs no special equipment just a bowl and spoon!
There is no dairy in the tea loaf itself and you could use a dairy free spread instead of butter if you have a dairy intolerance.
The night before you want to make this tea loaf weigh the cranberries and sultanas into a large bowl.
Pour 350ml of boiling water into a measuring jug with 4 tea bags and brew until strong.
Add the zest of an orange to the dried fruit.
Remove the tea bags and top up with more boiling water to 350ml if necessary. Pour the hot tea over the dried fruit and mix - cover and leave overnight for the best results.
The following day pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade (130 fan) then line and grease a 2lb loaf tin.
To the bowl of soaked dried fruit (do not drain the fruit) add the flour, sugar and eggs.
Then mix with a spoon until it is fully combined.
Put the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level.
Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean then leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
When cool, slice and spread with butter.
Sarah’s Cranberry & Orange Tea Loaf
Sarah’s Servings: 10
Sarah's skill: Easy
Baking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients:
350ml Blood Orange & CranberryTea
200g Dried Cranberries
200g Dried Sultanas
Zest of 1 Orange
300g Self-Raising flour
225g Soft light brown sugar
2 Large eggs
Method:
In a large bowl put the cranberries and sultanas.
Pour 350ml of boiling water into a measuring jug with 4 tea bags and brew until strong.
Add the zest of an orange to the dried fruit.
Remove the tea bags and top up with more boiling water to 350ml if necessary.
Pour the hot tea over the dried fruit and mix - cover and leave overnight for the best results.
The following day pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade (130 fan).
Line and grease a 2lb loaf tin.
To the bowl of soaked dried fruit add the flour, sugar and eggs then mix with a spoon until it is fully combined.
Put the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level.
Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool slightly in the tin then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
When cool, slice and spread with butter.
Sarah’s extra slice……
I used Twinnings Blood Orange and Cranberry tea in this recipe.
The 2lb loaf tin I used is no longer available but as an alternative