This gluten-free fruity loaf is delicious plain or can be lightly toasted and served with a little butter or fruit conserve.
This milk-enriched and gluten-free fruity loaf tastes good plain or can be lightly toasted and served with a little butter or fruit conserve. The basic dough contains an egg and saffron, which gives it a lovely golden colour.
This recipe is an extract from Gluten-Free Kitchen by Catherine Atkinson (isbn 9780754834816, Lorenz Books, £15.00).
First poach the currants and raisins in simmering water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry in a cloth or kitchen paper, and put to one side.
Lightly grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin with some butter. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and saffron. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
Pour the lukewarm milk into the well. Add the beaten egg and the butter and mix to a soft sticky batter, beating with a wooden spoon, until the butter is completely incorporated.
Add the poached fruit and beat into the mixture along with both types of candied fruit peel.
Spoon and scrape the dough into the tin. Cover with oiled cling film and leave until the dough has risen level with the top of the tin (remove the cling film just before it reaches this stage).
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Bake the loaf for 35 minutes or until it sounds ‘hollow’ when tapped on the base. Cover the loaf with foil towards the end of the cooking time if the top is browning too much.
Turn out the teabread on to a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.
Kathy Bishop and Tom Crowford
