Serves 12
Prep Time 30 mins
Duration 55 mins
Ingredients
- 2 tea bags earl grey
- 200 ml boiling water
- 250 g prunes, pitted and finely chopped
- 80 g sultanas
- 80 g currants
- 60 g butter, unsalted
- 60 g lard
- 300 g strong white bread flour
- 300 g plain flour
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast
- 100 g soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp sea salt, fine
- 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
- Flavourless oil, for greasing
- 20cm square cake tin, lightly oiled
Method
- Put the teabags in a mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water. Add the dried fruit and set aside to steep.
- Meanwhile, in a separate large mixing bowl, rub the butter and lard into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the yeast, sugar, spices and salt.
- Remove and discard the tea bags, then stir the eggs into the fruit/tea mixture.
- Tip it all into the flour mixture and mix to bring it together into a dough using a wooden spoon or palette knife.
- Cover with cling film, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean surface, then gently knead for 3-4 minutes. It will be sticky and very heavy.
- Put the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film.
- Leave in a warm place to rise for 1½ hours.
- Tip the dough onto the work surface and gently knead to remove any large air pockets.
- Shape into a rough 20cm square.
- Drop it in the tin, then press it gently down.
- Leave to prove for 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
- Bake the loaf for 55 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
- Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool before serving.
Nutritional Value
(per serving)
Calories 333 kcal
Total Fat 9.3 gm
Saturated Fat 4.4 gm
Carbohydrates 53.6 gm
Fibre 3.4 gm
Protein 7 gm