Tea loaf

{{Short description|English bread}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox food | name = Tea loaf | image = 027 of 366 (6783085325).jpg | caption = | alternate_name = | country = [[England]] | region = [[Yorkshire]] | creator = | course = | type = | served = | main_ingredient = [[Fruit]], [[cinnamon]] or other [[spice]]s | variations = | calories = | other = }}

A '''tea loaf''' or '''tea bread''' is an [[England|English]] [[bread]], made with [[dried fruit]] and traditionally served sliced and spread with [[butter]]. It is seen as a very traditional cake and the tea loaf is available in cafes and other establishments that serve traditional [[afternoon tea]]. It is particularly associated with [[Yorkshire]].

In the making of tea loaves, the fruit (usually [[Zante currants|currant]]s and [[sultana (dried grape)|sultanas]]) is soaked in initially hot [[tea]] to plump it before mixing it into the [[batter (cooking)|batter]]. The fruit is left in the tea for several hours, or overnight, and so is mainly steeped in cold tea.

The tea used to make the cake was traditionally black tea, but [[Earl Grey tea|Earl Grey]] or other teas can also be used.

Eggs are beaten into the tea/fruit mixture to bind the ingredients together and then the flour, sugar and any ground spices (such as [[mixed spice]] or [[cinnamon]] alone) are added.<ref name="BBC_Good_Food" />

Yeast used to be used as the [[leavening agent|raising agent]] but self-raising flour is specified in modern recipes.<ref name="BBC_Good_Food" />

Although currants and sultanas are traditional fruits, others can also be used such as [[glace cherries]], [[candied ginger]], dried [[apricot]]s, peel or [[orange zest]].

A key feature of tea bread is the lack of fat in the recipe with the consequence of improved keeping qualities. Indeed, the flavour is often considered to improve with time.<ref name="BBC_Good_Food">{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Esther |title=Tea loaf |url=https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tea-loaf |website=BBC Good Food |accessdate=26 February 2020}}</ref>

Similar breads include the Welsh [[bara brith]]<ref name="Bara_brith">{{cite web |last1=Hamilton |first1=Mary |title=Bara brith |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bara_brith_33441 |website=BBC Food |accessdate=26 February 2020}}</ref> and the Irish [[barmbrack]].<ref name="Guardian_barmbrack">{{cite news |last1=Cloake |first1=Felicity |author-link=Felicity Cloake |title=How to cook the perfect Irish barmbrack |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/17/barmbrack-recipe-fruit-loaf-felicity-cloake |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 March 2018 |accessdate=26 February 2020}}</ref>

==See also== *[[Malt loaf]] *[[Tea cake]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Cakes]] [[Category:English cuisine]]