Fruited tea loaf with kea plum compôte
A traditional tea loaf served with a kea plum compôte. Kea plums are only found in Cornwall, but damsons also work well. Best served warm with salted butter and a large mug of tea.
Ingredients
For the tea loaf
- 300ml/½ pint strong tea, made with 3 teabags of Earl Grey or English Breakfast
- 350g/12oz mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas, chopped dates, currants, mixed peel etc.
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
- 250g/9oz self-raising flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 200g/7oz light soft brown sugar (or a mix of 100g/3½oz caster and 100g/3½oz dark brown sugar)
For the kea plum compôte
- 500g/1lb 2oz fresh or frozen kea plums or damsons, stoned
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú caster sugar
Method
For the tea loaf, begin by making the tea in pot or jug and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Place the fruit and the zest in a bowl and cover with the hot tea, leave to soak for a couple of hours or ideally overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line the base of a large loaf tin (approximately 23x13x8cm/9x5x3¼in) with parchment.
In a bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar using a wooden spoon, then stir in the flour, mixed spice and tea-soaked fruit. Mix well to combine.
Pour the mixture into the greased and lined tin and bake for 1¼–1½ hours. The cake is cooked when a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the compôte, mix the stoned plums or damsons in a large saucepan with a tiny splash of water if using fresh fruit (it won’t be needed if the fruit has been frozen and defrosted). Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until dissolved, then increase the heat and bring to a boil. Pour into a sterilised jars to store or allow to cool and use immediately.
Serve the tea loaf in slices with butter the compôte and a cup of tea.
Recipe Tips
The amount of sugar used in the kea plum compôte depends on personal taste, add more or less as you prefer.