Jeweled Earl Grey Tea Bread

Last week, I was re-reading the March 1998 issue of Victoria magazine and came across a recipe for an Earl Grey-infused tea bread. I changed the recipe so much that it's easier for me to just share with you here how I did it, although if you want to make it like the original, see page 106 in that issue of the magazine. I'll print the recipe at the end, but first I wanted to show you the colorful jewel-toned dried fruit as it was soaking up the Earl Grey tea, which I had cold-brewed in the fridge overnight. For the fruit, I used a mix of mostly pineapple and currants with a few cranberries tossed in for good measure. Pretty, no?

Another trick I've learned is that if you let the finished loaf cool a bit, then wrap it in wax paper and place in the freezer overnight, it will slice beautifully the next morning.

Here's a plate of slices I took to a church function on Saturday morning. I had baked enough that I was also able to use some on a platter of tea breads for a dear friend whose mom had just passed away, and in a goodie basket for another friend who is recovering from knee surgery. (I should mention here that I had also made big batches of chocolate chip scones and lemon madeleines, so there was plenty to go around.)

At the conclusion of my busy Saturday I returned home (where I still had some of all this stuff left over), and the Jeweled Earl Grey Tea Bread was still incredibly moist, even though I'd left the house in a hurry and left this on the counter uncovered. Yum-o!

Jeweled Earl Grey Tea Bread

2 cups mixed dried fruit (I used 3/4 cup pineapple, 1 cup currants and 1/4 cup cranberries)
10 ounces cold Earl Grey tea
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch glass loaf pan. In a small bowl, soak the fruit in the tea for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. In another small bowl, whisk egg and milk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add all the remaining ingredients (fruit and tea mixture, and egg mixture). Mix just until combined. Pour batter into loaf pan and cook 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool, then freeze overnight for easy cutting.