Teabread for Easter

[Ishbel]

Fruit and Marzipan Teabread

Teabreads are really just rich scones made into a loaf shape. This is a rich teabread, with marzipan. Chill after it cools and it slices really well. Smother slices with good butter!

Makes 12 slices
Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, diced
250g plain flour
100g light muscovado brown sugar
250g Waitrose Luxury Mixed Fruit
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
150ml milk
150g marzipan, diced
1tbsp marmalade (to glaze)

Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Grease a 1kg loaf tin and line with baking parchment
Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (or zap in a food processor)

Stir in the sugar and dried fruit. Mix together the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and milk and pour into the centre of the dry ingredients. Mix well together to give a stiff dropping consistency, adding a little more milk if needed.

Spread one third of the mixture into the tin, then sprinkle with half the marzipan chunks. Add another third of the cake mixture and sprinkle with the remaining marzipan. Top with the remaining cake mixture.

Bake for 1 hour or until well risen and just firm to the touch.

Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack. In a small pan, warm the marmalade with a little water and brush over the top of the teabread. Cool completely and then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Slice and serve with butter and a nice cup of Earl Grey tea!

 

[PA Baker]

Scones are one of my all-time favorites so I'll have to try teabreads. Thanks for the recipe, Ishbel!

 

[marmalady]

Here's a similar one I got from an absolutely charming Irish caterer I chummed with one summer -

TEA BRACK
​

Tea Brack is an Irish bread, most often served in the fall. “Brack” is the Celtic word for ‘bread’.



Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Butter a deep, 9 inch cake pan, or two 6 inch pans.



2/3 cup currents
1 cup yellow raisins
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick melted butter
Grated peel of 1 orange
1 ¼ cups cold, strong tea*
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 cups flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. each nutmeg & ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves & allspice
pinch of salt



* Use two tea bags to 1 ¼ cups of water, and brew in a small saucepan.. After tea is brewed, remove tea bags and add raisins, currents,and brown sugar to saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cool completely.



Put the tea mixture in a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, orange peel, and melted butter, stir to blend. Sift the dry ingredients together, and gradually stir into the fruit/tea mixture, making sure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.



Turn mixture into pan(s); bake for 1 ½ -2 hours (for 9 inch pan) and 45 minutes to 1 hour for the two 6 inch pans, until the top of the cake feels firm, and inserted toothpick is dry.



Make a glaze of 3 T. of water* and 1 ½ T. of sugar in a small pan; bring to boil just until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the oven, and brush the glaze over the cake. Return cake to oven for about 3-5 more minutes, til the top is shiny. Cool cake in pan.



*Irish whiskey can be used in place of water.