Gingered Apricot and Orange Tea Bread

This comforting tea bread is not too sweet, perfect for afternoon tea by the fire with friends or family. This recipe makes two loaves, enjoy one now and and freeze the other for a rainy day.

Ingredients

100g dried apricots, chopped
250ml hot, strong Nerada Black Tea, strained
50g mild glacé ginger, chopped (or 1 tspn fresh ground ginger)
440g self raising flour
120g butter, diced
120g light brown sugar
8 tblspns orange marmalade
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4-6 tblspns milk
1 tspn orange blossom water (optional)

Method

1. Put chopped apricots and ginger in a glass bowl, pour over hot Nerada tea, stir, cover and soak overnight.
2. Next day, preheat oven to 170ºC. Grease and line 2 loaf tins.
3. Strain any liquid from apricots and set aside. Sift flour into a bowl, gently rub in butter (or pulse in a food processor). Stir in sugar and drained apricots. Mix together the marmalade, beaten eggs, orange blossom water (if using), 4 tblspn apricot liquid, and 4 tblspn milk. Pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir to a soft dough. Add extra 1-2 tblspn milk if necessary.
4. Pour into loaf tins, level the surface, and bake for 1 ¼ hrs until golden. Cool on wire rack. Serve sliced, plain or with butter.