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When I used to drink black tea, Earl Grey was one of my favourite blends of tea. With its flavours of Bergamot, orange peel and calendula petals it pleased the senses on every level. The smell was always amazing to me. I wish they did a room fragrance that smelled like Earl Grey Tea!
I thought it might make a great tea loaf to enjoy with hot drinks if you were to infuse the loaf with the flavours of Earl Grey. I had some in the cupboard and wanted to use it.
I used Earl Grey Tea from the Brew Tea Co. It was a proper loose leaf tea, with whole rolled black tea leaves, so there is no powder. This is mixed with the Bergamot oil, chunks of dried orange peel and dried calendula leaves. In retrospect I should have ground them a bit before using as this is such a high quality tea but never mind . . . if you were to use Earl Grey Tea bags, the tea would be finer ground.
I found this recipe on Jeannie Tay's blog, and she adapted it from a recipe from the cookbook Okashi. A book of Japanese sweet treats. Its not a book I would normally have even given a second look at personally, but this cake turned out quite nicely!
My loaf did not rise quite as much as the photographs on Jeannie's blog shows, and her tea is more dispersed so if I make this again (and I am sure I will) I will use a narrower loaf tin and I will grind the tea up a bit.
Having said all that however, it is a really nice loaf, with a beautiful delicate flavour. The flavour of the tea doesn't jump up and slap you in the face.
But its there . . . I loved the way the rolled tea leaves look in the loaf as well as the golden hints of the calendula petals and bits of orange . . .
It smelled quite, QUITE lovely when it was baking . . .
You make a lemon syrup to brush over the cake as it is cooling down, beginning as soon as it comes out of the oven. I like to brush it on, let it soak in and then brush on some more until it is all used up.
This was really a nice finishing touch . . .
I learned something new as well. She cuts down the middle of the loaf before baking it. This gave it a lovely nice crack down the centre which was fabulous for soaking up some of that glaze.
Other than the fact that I think my tea should have been finer, I would call this a beautiful loaf and a recipe that I would recommend!
Earl Grey Tea Loaf
Yield: makes one 8 by 4 inch loaf
Moist and delicious with the lovely flavours of black tea, orange and bergamot.
Ingredients:
- 150g self rising flour, sifted (1 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS)
- 150g unsalted butter at room temperature (2/3 cup)
- 110 g icing sugar sifted (1 cup less 2 1/2 TBS)
- 2 tsp golden syrup (corn syrup)
- 3 large free range eggs
- pinch salt
- 5g Earl Grey Tea (can use from tea bags, about 2 TBS)
- 15g ground almonds (3 TBS)
- 1 TBS milk
For the glaze:
- 100ml water (3 1/2 fluid ounces)
- 50g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
- 2 TBS lemon juice
Instructions:
How to cook Earl Grey Tea Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter an 8 X 4 -inch loaf tin and line the bottom with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, icing sugar and syrup until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl every so often. Add the salt, tea and almonds. Beat for one minute.
- Add half of the flour and beat at a low speed to amalgamat. Beat in the milk. Beat in the remaining flour until all is well blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth over the top and then cut a line down the middle with a knife.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown, risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Make the lemon syrup for glazing while the cake bakes. Measure the water and sugar into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the mixture thickens, without stirring. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice. Brush this mixture over the warm cake, allowing it to soak in before brushing on more.
- Cut into slices to serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
This would be wonderful served at a ladies' tea party. It would make for something a tad bit unsual than the normal tea time offerings I think!
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