Helen Goh's Moroccan Spiced Tea Loaf

Every weekend, I look forward to seeing the new Helen Goh recipe in the Good Weekend supplement in the newspaper.  I don't make all of them, or even want to, but many of Helen's recipes are very tempting.  For the uninitiated, Helen co-wrote Sweet with Yottam Ottolenghi.

Quite some time ago, she published a recipe for Moroccan Spiced Tea Loaf.  I really enjoy this type of cake, with lots of dried fruit that is juicy from being soaked in tea.  I have a similar recipe from years ago in one of mum's magazines.  A slice of this loaf slathered with butter is just the ticket with a hot mug of coffee for afternoon tea.  This cake is also a little different in that it is spiced with ras el hanout.

If this cake sounds like your kind of thing and you want to make it, you will need:

75g each of currants, raising, dried apricots, prunes and dried figs
250ml hot black tea
225g self raising flour
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1/4 teaspoon salt
150g brown sugar
1 lightly beaten egg

The dried fruit into a heat proof bowl and pour over the tea.  Cover the bowl, and leave overnight to soak.

The next day, preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius.  Grease and line a one litre loaf tin.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then stir in the brown sugar.  Add the egg and dried fruit (including any liquid) and fold through the mixture.  If the mixture is thicker than dropping consistency, add a little milk to the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-55 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before unmoulding onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving, spread with butter.