Recipe for Tea Loaf and Cocoa Biscuits

[Bet]

Just tried a great recipe given to me by one of mums at daughters school for tea loaf. Essentially this is a fruit cake - some of ingredients have to be soaked over night so remember to make day in advance:

225g (8oz) sultanas
100g (4oz) raisins
100g (4oz) currants
175g (6oz) demerera sugar
150 ml (quarter of pint) hot strong tea (no milk)
1 medium egg beaten
225g (8oz) self raising flour

Mix sugar with hot tea
Mix this with fruit
Cover and leave overnight (I did stir several times during evening)
Add egg, stir in flour
Cook in 2lb loaf tin 160 degrees C, 325 degrees F for 1 and half / 1 three quarter hours


Also baked some really simple cocoa biscuits yesterday which went very nicely with vanilla ice cream (first or swedish glace) covered in choc sauce (I use Lyles golden syrup Chocolate sauce) The kids loved the biscuits with the ice cream and actually started to eat them 1st!

125g (4oz) pure
50g (2oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) plain flour
1 tbls cocoa

Cream together pure and sugar. Sift flour and cocoa into this mixture.
Roll mixture into small balls and place well apart on greased baking sheets (Flatten balls slightly)
Bake for 160 degrees C (325 degrees F) for 30 mins
Transfer to wire rack after couple of mins to cool

ENJOY!!!

[matt]

tea loaf sounds lovely....surely some room for a bit of rum in that soaking process?!:lol2:

[Copper]

Soak in tea - I am allergic to tea :( Oh well never mind I can try the choc biscuits though as they sound :bleh:

[Bet]

Mmm Rum in tea loaf- sounds good to me! My Aunt & Uncle worked in Jamaica for a number of years and the Jamaican rum they bought home was superb - much too good for tea loaf tho'!

[matt]

copper soak it in something else then. coffee would work. i suppose even fruit teas if the flavours matched.

i prefer to add booze after cooking as otherwise it just evaporates off. adding after makes cake very moist. but yes never use really good stuff, but not the cheapest either.

enjoy.:drool:

[Copper]

I did toy with the idea of soaking in coffee. I am scared to try other teas in case they make me ill too. Stupid I know but I am sure Matt will understand :)

[matt]

oh yeah i know exactly what your thinking....you look for the problem so hard that you create it!
go for the soaking in coffee instead, i can't see a prob with that. it would work with just plain hot water aswell i expect.

i make a date and walnut loaf and it just uses hot water to soak. or cocoa!! for that subtle choc flavour not.

[rebecca c]

Copper - I cant drink tea or coffee (not allergic but they make me ill) because of the salicylates the only herb tea I can drink in small amounts is chamomile. To make it OK I have it weak with sugar. Maybe you could try it really weak to see if you react.

[Copper]

Ok maybe one day I will pluck up the courage to give it a try.