Description
Irish tea bread is a traditional recipe made in Ireland around Halloween. It is a sweet bread that has raisins soaked in black tea, making them plump and juicy. Perfect for an afternoon snack, or breakfast. So good!
Ingredients
For the overnight tea soak
- 1 cup strongly brewed breakfast tea (2 tea bags to the 1 cup water)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raisins
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- zest of 1 lemon
- zest of 1 orange
- Optional: 1 tablespoons Irish whiskey (see notes)
Remaining ingredients
- 1/2 cup freshly brewed breakfast tea (1 tea bag for the 1/2 cup), allowed to cool completely
- 1.5 cups 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour blend (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg, whisked
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
Instructions
- Soak the fruit overnight in tea: This step allows the raisins to soak up all the tea making them plump and juicy. This is an essential step for this recipe. Steep the tea for 5 minutes (or according to package directions). While the tea is steeping, add both kinds of raisins to a medium mixing bowl, along with the zest of the lemon and orange. Once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and add the still hot tea to the bowl. Toss everything together. Once the tea has cooled stir in the whiskey (if using). Cover the bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours (or overnight).
- Prepare: When you are ready to bake the bread, brew some more strong breakfast tea. Allow it to cool completely (I sometimes pop mine in the freezer to help seep things along). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch bread pan, and line the bottom of it with parchment paper. Note: if things tend to stick easily in your bread pan then I suggest using extra parchment paper to allow for overhang, to create “handles” to easily lift out the bread once it’s baked.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Create a well in the dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the brown sugar, whisked egg, and vanilla. Add half of the soaked fruit, along with any of it’s liquid to the dry ingredients. Give it a mix and then add the remaining fruit and liquid. Now stir in the tablespoon of whiskey (if using) along with 1/4 cup of the fresh strongly brewed tea that is now cooled. NOTE: The batter should be thick, and very wet. It should be pourable, but not runny. Depending on how much of the tea the raisins initially soak up depends on how much of the freshly brewed tea you will need to add. Start with 1/4 cup and gradually add 1 tablespoon of tea until the consistency is just right. Keep in mind that if the batter is too runny the loaf will take up to 90 minutes to bake, and it still may have a slightly under baked center.
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean from the center of the bread. The top of the bread should be nicely browned, and spring back when you touch it with your finger.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool for 30 minutes. To remove the bread run a dull knife around the edges of the bread pan and carefully turn the bread out. If you have the parchment paper handles, this makes removing the bread even easier, just lift the bread out by the “handles”. Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To serve: Once the bread has cooled completely, slice the bread and serve it with salted butter, if desired. Since there is breakfast tea baked into this bread it is often served with a fresh cup of tea as part of breakfast, or as an afternoon snack. I especially enjoy eating it with a cup of earl gray tea.
- To store: Wrap the completely cooled bread in plastic wrap, and store in a tightly sealed plastic bag for up to 4 to 5 days.
Notes
raisins: You can sub some of the raisins for currants, if you can find them. I do recommend using the combo of regular raisins, and golden raisins for flavor variety.
Tea options: You can use any strong black breakfast tea here. Irish breakfast tea, English breakfast tea, or Scottish breakfast tea would all work. Earl gray tea would work too, if you enjoy the flavor.
Whiskey: The whiskey is totally optional. You can omit it, there is enough liquid from the tea if you do. However, the whiskey does add a nice undertone of flavors that goes well with the bread. The alcohol content will bake off, only leaving you with a hint of flavor.
My go-to gluten free flour: For easy gluten free baking, I highly recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour. Turns out great every time.
Non gluten free option: You can sub the all purpose gluten free flour blend for a regular all purpose flour. For a healthier option you can use half white whole wheat flour, and half regular all purpose flour.
Recipe adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking.
