West Cumberland Tea Bread Recipes

MY GRANDMOTHER'S FAT FREE ENGLISH TEA LOAF - BREAD

Steps:

• You will need two 1 lb (450 g) loaf tins (6 x 4 x 2 1/2 inches), the bases lined with greaseproof paper (parchment).
• The evening before you want to bake these loaves, place all the fruits, including the candied peel, in a bowl, then dissolve the sugar in the hot tea, pour this over the fruits, cover the bowl and leave it overnight.
• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F/170°C.
• Beat the egg and add the milk.
• Add the beaten egg & milk mixture to the bowl containing the fruits. Then sift in the flour, and mix them together well.
• Now divide the mixture between the prepared loaf tins and bake them in the centre of the oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until they feel springy in the centre.
• Then straight away, loosen them with a palette knife and turn them out on to a wire rack to cool.
• Store in an airtight tin or cover with extra greaseproof paper and freeze. (For up to 3 months).
• These are great sliced, toasted and served with butter as a tea-time snack.

WEST CUMBERLAND TEA BREAD

Steps:

• The day before you bake the tea bread place the mixed dried fruit into your mixing bowl and cover with the tea. Soak the fruit overnight.
• The next day add all the other ingredients to the soaked fruit and mix well.
• Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 2lb loaf tin and bake in the top oven of the Aga with the grid shelf on the oven floor and the cold plain shelf above for about 1 hour but check after about 45 minutes. A skewer inserted should come out clean.
• Turn the tea bread out onto a baking rack to cool.
• Serve sliced and buttered (optional) with a cuppa.
• For conventional ovens the temperatures are gas mark 3 or 170 degrees centigrade and cooking time will probably be 1 hour 15 mins to 1 hour 30 minutes.