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Tea-Soaked Fig, Nut and Seed Bread
The secret here is soaking the dried figs and oats in hot black tea, which plumps the fruit and adds a subtle, earthy depth to the dough. Packed with sultanas, mixed nuts, and a trio of seeds, this hearty loaf yields a dense, chewy crumb that holds together beautifully. You won't need any yeast or complicated kneading techniques to pull it off. It's fantastic served in thick slices, toasted and smeared with ricotta, fresh fruit, or your favorite nut butter.
Ingredients
- 400ml hot strong black tea
- 100g dried figs, hard stalks removed, thinly sliced
- 140g sultanas
- 50g porridge oats
- 200g self-raising wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100g mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, Brazils, hazelnuts), plus 50g for the topping
- 1 tbsp golden linseed
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, plus 2 tsp to sprinkle
- 25g pumpkin seeds
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 170C (150C fan or gas mark 3.5). Pour the hot black tea into a large bowl and stir in the sliced figs, sultanas, and oats. Set aside to soak and cool.
- 2Line the base and sides of a 1kg loaf pan with baking parchment. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, mixed nuts, golden linseed, pumpkin seeds, and 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds.
- 3Beat the egg into the cooled fruit and tea mixture. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Don't overmix, or the bread will become tough.
- 4Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level the top, and scatter with the reserved 50g of nuts and 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds.
- 5Bake for 1 hour. Cover the top loosely with foil to prevent burning, then bake for 15 minutes more until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 6Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely before peeling off the parchment paper. Slicing it while warm can cause the loaf to crumble.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the cooled loaf wrapped in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Freezing: Slice the bread before freezing so you can easily toast individual pieces straight from the freezer.
- Serving: Try thick slices toasted and topped with nut butter, jam, ricotta, or fresh fruit.
- Swap: You can use Earl Grey or a spiced chai instead of standard black tea for a different flavor profile.