How to Make an Earl Grey Tea Loaf

Tea doesn’t only have to adorn your morning cup. You can indeed include it in a variety of foodstuffs from marinades and dressings to pancakes and cakes and now Earl Grey Tea Loaf.

One that is particularly popular at the moment is an Earl Grey Tea Loaf. But what, exactly, is it? How do you make it? And is it worth all of the fuss? We will find out in the following article, so please keep reading.

Once you know how to make an Earl Grey Tea Loaf, you can start stocking up on ingredients. The first port of call is the Tea itself, which you can buy right here from us.

The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company take pride in packing every Loose Tea, including Earl Grey, fresh to order. In doing so, we guarantee not only quality but also consistency. Shall we get started?

What is an Earl Grey Tea Loaf?

There are two components we should probably first separate here - Earl Grey Tea and the loaf itself - to understand them better. Earl Grey is (usually) a type of Black Tea flavoured with bergamot oil.

It has a close association with all things dainty, including having an Afternoon Tea, with its taste best described as full-bodied with distinct citrusy undertones.

Earl Grey has mysterious origins. No one knows why it has taken on the name of Lord Charles Grey, who later became a 19th-century British Prime Minister.

What we do know, though, is that making an Earl Grey Tea Loaf is an excellent use of it. We’re not talking about savoury bread here (but you’ve probably gathered that already); rather a delicious dessert treat.

A Tea Loaf, generally speaking, is English bread with dried fruit. You traditionally slice it with a liberal helping of butter. The practice originates from Yorkshire, specifically, although it has since spread through the UK and, indeed, beyond.

It, too, has become popular as part of an Afternoon Tea alongside the likes of sandwiches, scones and, perhaps unsurprisingly, a cup of Loose Earl Grey.

It stands to reason that an Earl Grey Tea Loaf is a combination of the two. There are, of course, other ingredients required, which is what we’ll be talking about in the following section.

Right now, let’s focus on its great taste. Whether you’re hosting Afternoon Tea at home or you simply want to treat yourself, expect an Earl Grey Tea loaf to be a rich, fruity delight.

Earl Grey Tea Loaf Ingredients

You now know the answer to, “What is an Earl Grey Tea Loaf?” What comes next is exploring the ingredients. You’re going to need 170-175 grams of currants, 175 grams of sultanas, 275 grams of self-raising flour and 225 grams of light muscovado sugar.

What’s more, you should have to hand one large free-range egg for beating and butter for greasing.

Have you worked out what we’ve missed? Earl Grey Tea, of course - 300ml of it, to be precise. We stock many types here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company.

However, your best bet is to get a simple variety when making the best Earl Grey Tea Fruit Loaf Recipe. If you’d like an extra cuppa to complement it, consider Cream Earl Grey Tea or Earl Grey Tea with Cornflowers.

How to Make an Earl Grey Tea Loaf at Home

Are you ready to learn how to make an Earl Grey Tea Loaf? We thought so. You’ll need to be patient, though, as it’ll require time to create it to its finest calibre.

It’s also worth having all of the relevant utensils nearby before you begin. This includes (but is not limited to) a mixing bowl, a loaf tin and non-stick baking paper. Be sure to follow these instructions:

1, Brew Earl Grey Tea.

Put the kettle on, place Earl Grey Loose Tea in a Filter or Infuser, then place the Tea-filled accessory in a mug. Once the water has boiled, pour it in and allow it to steep for 3-5 minutes.

The longer you leave it, the stronger it tastes - which might be better for an Earl Grey Tea Loaf Cake.

2, Mix some of the Ingredients and Wait.

Get your mixing bowl and add the sultanas and currants, then pour over the Tea. Stir, cover and leave it to soak overnight. This will enable the liquid to absorb.

3, Get the Oven and Utensils Ready.

Have your oven preheated to 150°C. If you haven’t done it already, you’ll then need to grease your loaf tin before lining it with non-stick baking paper.

4, Add the rest of the Ingredients to the Fruit and Tea Combo.

Combine the egg, sugar and flour to the bowl of Tea-soaked fruit and mix thoroughly. Don’t worry if there is a little excess liquid from the Earl Grey.

5, Ready, Steady, Bake.

Transfer your mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 1¾ hours (or until your cake rises and is firm when you touch it). It is worth checking the progress at the 1¼ mark.

When it has fully baked, leave it to cool in the tin for around 10 minutes.

6, Remove the Earl Grey Tea Loaf from the Tin and Serve.

Turn out the Tea loaf while removing the non-stick baking paper. In terms of serving, cut reasonably thick slices and spread butter on top.

Note: If you wish to store it, you might find that, after five days, it tastes even better than before. Make sure you use an airtight container if you wish to do so.

Conclusion

If you’d like to make the best Earl Grey Tea Fruit loaf recipe, we have provided you with all the information needed above. We can provide you with the Earl Grey Tea itself, too, here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company.

Why not browse our selection and come up with some ideas of your own? We’d love to hear about your Tea-related baking experiences, so please share!

Author: Richard Smith

Partner at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company

Richard Smith is a Tea expert, entrepreneur, and owner of The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. Part of a family of renowned Tea planters dating back four generations, he was born in Calcutta (Kolkata), India, where he spent his childhood between Tea Estates in Assam and Darjeeling.

In the late 1970s, having accumulated years of knowledge in the industry, Mr Smith and his mother, Janet Smith, moved to Kent, South East England, to establish a Tea business in the village of Pluckley. Their early days of packing Tea Bags by hand from chests of 10,000 prompted the creation of the company’s flagship infusion known as Pluckley Tea. It remains our most popular product today.

Mr Smith, who studied economics at London Polytechnic, has since specialised in over 1,000 types of Loose Leaf Tea - in addition to around 70 varieties of Roast Coffee - from around the world. These are now available at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company, where everything is still packed by hand and fresh to order, not only to honour tradition but to ensure the utmost quality and consistency.