Irish Loaves
This is one of my favourite recipes. The loaves are super moist and will last a long time in the tin thanks to the ‘Irish component’. I am a big advocate for baking two things at once – one to butter and one to freeze. And in this case, you can make two loaves turn into four little cute Christmas cakes, or one to gift and one loaf for you to slice and butter with a cuppa when you find two minutes to sit down during the silly season. Words & Photos Philippa Cameron.
Ingredients
Loaves
- 800 grams fruit mix
- 500 ml strong cold black tea (made with 3-4 tea bags)
- 100 ml whiskey (alternatively you could add more tea)
- 250 grams brown sugar (1 ¼ cups)
- 450 grams plain flour (3 cups)
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger
- 2 eggs
Brandy Icing
- 300 grams of icing sugar
- 50 grams softened butter
- 25 mls of brandy or brandy essence (a splash more than a tablespoon)
- 25 mls of cream (or milk)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil the jug and prepare the strong black tea.
- Place the fruit, cold tea and whiskey into a medium sized bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight.
- The next day begin by pre heating the oven to 170°C and prepare two loaf tins (you may like to grease the tins with butter or line them with reusable baking liners or baking paper).
- In a large mixing bowl, place the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre.
- Crack the eggs into the well, add the soaked fruit (with the liquid) and mix gently with a dough whisk.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two loaf tins and place in the oven for an hour (it might be a good idea to check at 50 minutes, using a skewer, to see if your loaves are cooked – every oven is different).
- Leave the loaves to sit for 10 minutes in their tins before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Once cool, prepare the icing. Place everything into a stand mixer, or a bowl and a hand beater. Mix until all ingredients are combined and smooth.
- Cut the loaves you are going to gift in half and cut the ends off too (place the ends to the side and smother with the leftover icing once you are finished – cook’s privilege).
- Ice each piece and decorate with a piece of brown paper, fabric scrap and green foliage (I have used a sprig of rosemary).
Philippa Cameron is the station cook on her husband’s family farm, Ōtemātātā Station in the Waitaki Valley; and the mother to two beautiful daughters who will be the sixth generation to treasure this sparse and beautiful high country environment. Alongside cooking and running her successful social media business what’s for smoko she has published two books, A High Country Life and Winter Warmers.
