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Mary Berry Tea Loaf Recipe

Mary Berry Tea Loaf Recipe

Mary Berry's tea loaf is moist, packed with tea-soaked fruit, and completely wonderful sliced and buttered.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 10 Slices
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: British
Calories: 215
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Fruit Soak Night Before:
  • 300 g mixed dried fruit
  • 250 ml strong hot black tea
  • 150 g soft light brown sugar
  • Loaf:
  • The soaked fruit and all its liquid
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 250 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Night before: combine dried fruit and brown sugar with hot strong tea. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and leave overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / Gas 2. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
  3. Add beaten egg to soaked fruit and all liquid. Stir well. Sift flour, mixed spice, and cinnamon over the mixture. Fold gently until just combined.
  4. Spoon into tin. Level the surface. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cover top loosely if browning too quickly.
  5. Cool in tin 15 minutes. Lift out. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes. Slice thinly and serve with cold butter.

Notes

Soak fruit overnight — do not rush with a short soak.
Use all the soaking liquid — every drop adds flavour and moisture.
Use strong black tea — 2 teabags in 250ml boiling water for 5 minutes.
Bake at a low temperature for an even cook throughout.
This loaf genuinely improves overnight — make it the day before if possible.
Stores in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezes well.
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