As a child I remember bowls of dried fruit soaked in tea overnight ready for baking the next day. This recipe harks back to a rhythm and comfort of my mother’s kitchen.
It’s hard to beat a thick slice of moist spicy fruit loaf. Of course in those days it was covered in butter. But it tastes just fine without.
Trust me. It’s delicious.
This loaf is based on the traditional Welsh Barabrith. Meaning a rich fruit loaf or yeasted bread made with tea.
Here we use health enhancing rooibos (red bush) tea for it’s antioxidants, minerals and flavour. It’s caffeine free and with less than half the tannins of normal tea it doesn’t impede the absorption of iron. Good news for vegans and women in general.
What no eggs? No milk?
Baking is often the new vegan’s Archilles heel. Don’t be discouraged.
Instead of egg we use soaked chia seed (chia gel). See here for a list of other alternatives.
Ingredients
2 cups dried fruit (dates, raisins, prunes)
2½ Tbl molasses sugar
½ lemon, zested
400 mls hot rooibos tea
2½ cups wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1 chia egg (1 Tbl chia seed mixed with 1/3 cup water. Let it sit for 10 mins)
Method
Soak the fruit, sugar and lemon overnight in a big bowl. Cover.
Heat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
Mix in the chia egg.
Sift the dry ingredients into the fruit.
Mix well.
Pour into a greased and/or lined loaf tin.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a knife comes cleanly out.
Cool on a wire rack.
Stuff into lunchboxes!
You might also like:
Sugar-free sweet potato brownie
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