Soft in the centre and crunchy on the outside, this moist tea loaf is delicious served warm and spread with butter.
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Enjoy a thick slice of this fragrant cardamom tea loaf for breakfast toasted and spread with butter alongside your morning coffee or tea, or for a quick snack later in the day.
A tea loaf is a traditional English bread made with spices and dried fruit, which have been soaked in strong tea or juice before baking.
The dried fruit plumps up as much of the tea is absorbed, keeping the loaf moist.
It is a delicious fruit bread with a delicate cardamom flavour, guaranteed to make your home smell delicious.
This tea loaf is made with Crazy Jack organic sultanas but can also be made with raisins.
For more recipes using sultanas or raisins try this tasty beet salad and our favourite chewy oatmeal cookies.
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What are sultanas?
Both raisins and sultanas come from the same white grape, the Thompson seedless (US), also known as Kishmish (India), Lady de Coverly (UK) or İzmir üzümü (Turkey).
While raisins are left to dry naturally, turning a dark colour with an intense sweet flavour, sultanas are generally dried faster using a processing agent.
Sultanas have a golden colour and are milder and less sweet than raisins.
Crazy Jack organic sultanas
These ripe and juicy sultanas are not too sweet, so they are delicious as a snack on their own or in both sweet and savoury dishes.
Crazy Jack’s sultanas are grown organically on the fertile plains of Izmir, Turkey, without artificial fertilizers, growth hormones or pesticides.
Farmers tend to the grapes by hand, laying them out over the plains to dry naturally in the hot sun.
They are then dried using an organic solution of vegetable oil to speed up the drying process, so they turn golden with a mild flavour.
Crazy Jack ensure the products they source can be traced from field to fork. They ensure Soil Association standards are adhered to and work closely with the Good Food Foundation.
Helpful tips
- Soak the raisins in tea. If you have time, soak them in tea overnight – if not, a few hours of soaking will suffice. I use Earl Grey teabags but you could use any tea of your choice.
- For the cardamom flavour heat the milk with the cardamom pods. This gives a lovely cardamom flavour, then strain away the pods. Cool the milk down to room temperature before mixing with the other ingredients.
- Cream together the butter and sugar till soft and creamy then add eggs, vanilla and milk.
- Mix in the flour, add salt and combine well. The mixture might appear thick but the raisins will have absorbed enough liquid to keep the loaf moist.
- Line a loaf tin with parchment paper leaving the ends to hang over the edges.
- Pour the mixture into the tin and bake at 350℉/180℃ for 45 minutes.
- Cool before turning out and slicing.
How to serve tea loaf
Cut into thick slices and serve for breakfast or as a snack with coffee or tea.
For that wonderful ‘just baked’ taste and aroma, slice and lightly toast before spreading with whipped butter.
Storing
Store in an airtight container and keep in a cool dry place.
For easy snacks cut into slices, wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Where to buy Crazy Jack sultanas
You can find them at Sainsbury’s and online on Ocado.
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Recipe
Tea Loaf
Ingredients
- sultanas - 1 cup 200 g
- Earl Grey tea - or Assam/breakfast tea, etc 2 teabags
- hot water - 1 cup 240 ml
- milk - ½ cup 120 ml
- cardamoms pods - smashed 3
- self-raising flour - 2½ cups 375 g
- salt ¼ teaspoon
- butter - ½ cup 120 g
- granulated sugar - or caster, 1 cup 200 g
- vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- eggs - lightly beaten 2
Instructions
- Pour 240 ml hot water into a medium bowl and add 2 teabags Earl Grey tea . Remove the teabags after 5 minutes and pour in 200 g sultanas ensuring they are submerged in the tea. Cover and leave on the counter overnight or for a couple of hours. Drain without squeezing before using.
- Meanwhile in a small saucepan heat 120 ml milk and 3 cardamoms pods. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Allow to cool, strain away the pods and set aside.
- Heat oven to 180°C/350°F. Sift 375 g self-raising flour into a large mixing bowl and add ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Separately, in a medium bowl, cream together 120 g butter and 200 g granulated sugar.
- To this add 2 eggs, the cardamom milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine well.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edges so you can remove the loaf easily.
- Pour the mixture in and bake for 45 mins, or till a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin.
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically per serving and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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Dannii says
I could so go a big slice of that right now. Perfect with a big cup of coffee.
Hannah says
I love the smell of cardamom and when you said it’s crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, I was sold! 🙂
Luci's Morsels says
This looks delicious! What a fun recipe. I have to try this one!
Cindy Rodriguez says
What a delicious recipe! I love the feature on your site that allows you to check off each step in the recipe.
Deanna says
Wow! The flavor in this has to be fantastic! I love quick bread because so wonderful with coffee 🙂 This looks great!
Nicole says
Thanks Deanna, it always goes down a treat!
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness says
This tea loves delicious. I love the combination of the cardamom and sultanas. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices. Also, I wanted to let you know that I love the name of your blog!
Nicole says
Thank you Dawn 🙂