By Barbara Beltrami
If you’re looking for last minute gifts or just something to have with a glass of wine or eggnog if the neighbors drop in, think about baking some tea loaves. They’re easy to make and don’t require the attention that cookies do. You just mix the batter and pop them in the oven for an hour or so while you wrap some gifts or write some Christmas cards.
If you’re giving them as gifts, pick up some colorful cellophane and wrap them in that, then tie them up in some nice ribbon or raffia. If you’re keeping them to serve during the holidays, just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and slice as needed.
My all-time favorite for the holidays is Cranberry-Orange-Walnut Bread, but I also like one made with good strong Earl Grey Tea. Another one that everybody loves, that’s as pretty as it is delicious is Citrus-Turmeric Tea Bread. If there’s somebody special you’d really like to make happy, make all three.
Cranberry-Orange-Walnut Bread
YIELD: Makes one loaf
INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, well beaten, melted
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium-large bowl thoroughly combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add the orange juice and zest, butter and egg and stir well; fold in the cranberries and nuts. Transfer to loaf pan and bake approximately one hour, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with wine, tea, eggnog, coffee or punch.
Earl Grey Tea Loaf
YIELD: Makes one loaf
INGREDIENTS:
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups prunes, chopped
1/2 cup sultana raisins
2 large eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment. In a small bowl, steep tea bags in boiling water for at least 10 minutes; discard tea bags and place prunes and raisins in tea; steep another 10 minutes. In a large bowl vigorously whisk eggs; add prunes and raisins. Lightly stir in the brown sugar and orange zest.
In a medium bowl thoroughly combine flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into tea mixture; pour into prepared loaf pan and smooth with rubber spatula; bake approximately an hour, then cool on wire rack. Remove from pan and let cool another hour on wire rack. Serve with butter or cream cheese.
Citrus-Turmeric Tea Loaf
YIELD: Makes one loaf
INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 navel orange, sliced thin
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line it with parchment and leave a little overhang for lifting the loaf out of the pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and turmeric. In a medium bowl thoroughly combine the lemon zest with the one cup sugar; whisk in sour cream, eggs and lemon juice; fold in melted butter; add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until blended.
Scrape mixture into prepared loaf pan and smooth top. Lay orange slices over top, sprinkle with remaining two tablespoons sugar and bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with lemon or orange sorbet.
