Recipe: Tea Soaked Raisins Loaf
By Khyati Pandey
The #NTChallenge:
A few months ago, we sent out our Plum + Roses Brew to a group of home bakers and cooks, passionate foodies and professional chefs and raised them to the #NTChallenge – create a recipe using the brew – no restrictions!
Khyati is a brilliant recipe developer and I know she has a good hand on sweet baked goods, so she was a natural fit for the #NTChallenge. She has not disappointed! Soaking raisins in the brew and orange zest and then swirling them into a delicious vanilla scented cake batter to be baked into a beautiful loaf, perfect for afternoon tea time!
Here is Khyati’s note and recipe for Tea Soaked Raisins Loaf:
Monsoons are upon us, and I love nothing better than sitting with a book, a cup of tea and some lovely tea cake for accompaniment as the rain patters around. Personally, a lover of fruit and floral brews, Nature Therapy’s Plum + Roses brew was a delight to experiment with. The subtle tang of the dried plums and fragrant bouquet of rose petals fill this tea cake recipe with aromas that are too tantalizing to resist. If there was ever a better match made, it has to be this tea cake and the brew. Hope your monsoons are made even lusher with this pair for company.
Ingredients
- 150 g raisins
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp Nature Therapy Plum + Roses Brew
- 2 medium eggs
- 300 g flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp vanilla essence
- 200 ml water
- 250 g castor sugar
- 100 g butter, plus extra for greasing
Method
- Steep the brew with boiling water for at least 10 minutes and strain. Mix the raisins and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the tea and cover the bowl. Leave to sit for a minimum of 6 hours or ideally overnight to allow the dried fruit to soak up all the liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 180C Grease and line your loaf tin.
- In a mixing bowl take your eggs, melted butter, residual tea water, sugar and vanilla essence.
- Now sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, ensuring everything is well combined. Gently fold the mixture and do not over mix.
- Spoon the batter into the tin and place in the centre of the oven for 45-55 mins or until firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins before transferring to a wire rack.
- Cut into thick slices and serve with your choice of jam or compote, or you can have it just as is.
- To store, wrap tightly and keep in an airtight container for up to five days. The loaf will taste even better after a few days.
Khyati is a brilliant recipe developer, food stylist, photographer, and writer. She writes and creates breathtaking content for various publications – she has a talented eye behind the lens, and in front, she lights up the camera with her beautiful piercing eyes! You’ll also catch her gorgeous cats occasionally making an appearance in her images!
Follow her on Instagram here:@khyatipandey6