Spiced Fruit Loaf

 



In a perfect world, it would always be tea time.




Spiced Fruit Loaf
slightly adapted from here

1 cup caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
1 cup sultanas
1 cup dates
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups "00" flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat your oven to 170C. Grease a 23 cm x 13 cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper. Set aside.

Put the sugar, butter, sultanas, dates, golden syrup and water into a saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the mixed spice, ground ginger, pecans, vanilla bean paste and salt to the cooled date mixture and stir to incorporate. Then add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into generous slices and spread with the best butter you can get your hands on... and a big pot of hot tea.