Festive Fig, Cranberry, Date and Nut Tea Loaf

This family heirloom and the memory were shared with us by our great friend Jerilyn: "These gorgeous, delicious cakes were my Grandmother’s favorite holiday treasure. She baked them late November, liberally splashed them with sherry, wrapped in cheese cloth, and stored in a tightly-sealed container to age 2-4 weeks. She served lovely paper-thin slices with tea, or wrapped them for holiday gifts."

BY: JERILYN BRUSSEAU

Prep Time

1 hour 30 minutes

Bake Time

1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time

15-18 hours

Yield

6-8 petite loaves

Varietal

Organic Edison T85 All-Purpose Flour

Ingredients

2½ cups (335g) Organic Edison all-purpose flour, sifted

½ teaspoon (3g) salt

4 teaspoon (20g) baking powder

5 large eggs, well beaten

½ cup (93g) white granulated sugar

½ cup (113g) freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla

1 pound (450g) whole dried Black Mission figs

1 pound (450g) whole dates, pitted

2 cups (200g) fresh cranberries

1 pound (450g) Brazil nuts, whole

2 cups (200g) walnut halves

Amontillado sherry or brandy

Baker's Notes

The most beautiful loaves turn out if you fill the tins to the brim, then top the batter with additional fruit and nuts, arranged attractively, to add height and volume to the loaf.

Instructions

  1. One day before mixing: In a large bowl, place figs, dates, cranberries, Brazil nuts, and walnut halves. Stir gently with wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
  2. Pour ½ cup sherry or brandy over. Stir lightly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in a cool place overnight.
  3. On a baking day, prepare six to eight small aluminum foil loaf pans, 3.5" wide x 6" long x 2".
  4. Cut parchment paper strips to line pans: 2.5" wide x 10" long to place lengthwise in pan with parchment over both ends, 5.5" wide x 7.5" long to place widthwise in pan, with parchment over sides.
  5. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  6. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add well-beaten eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice. Beat well with whisk until creamy.
  7. Carefully fold the dried fruit and nuts into batter, to barely cover every morsel of fruit and nuts.
  8. Fold the entire batch gently, to be sure each nut and piece of fruit is covered.
  9. With a large spoon, fill each parchment lined loaf pan with fruit/nut/batter to top, then mound fruits and nuts attractively, for a beautiful, colorful loaf.
  10. Place filled tea loaf pans on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  11. Bake for 1.5 hours, until very lightly browned. The loaves will not change shape during baking.
  12. Remove from the oven. Place baking sheet with tea loaves on a rack.
  13. When the tea loaves have cooled for one hour, brush loaves generously with Amontillado sherry or brandy, using pastry brush.
  14. Let cool an additional hour and brush again with Amontillado sherry or brandy.
  15. Remove loaves from pans. Wrap each loaf carefully with plastic wrap, making sure to seal the ends carefully.
  16. Place close together in a small bin with a tightly-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks to age and develop flavor.
  17. When ready to serve, remove the tea loaf from the refrigerated bin. Slice in 1/8" thick slices with a sharp serrated knife. Arrange on a glass plate. Serve cold.
  18. To prepare tea loaves as gifts, unwrap the plastic wrap. Brush with sherry, then wrap tightly with fresh plastic wrap. Be sure to seal the ends carefully. Keep refrigerated until the time for gift-giving.

Baker's Notes

The most beautiful loaves turn out if you fill the tins to the brim, then top the batter with additional fruit and nuts, arranged attractively, to add height and volume to the loaf.

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