Tea Breads, Buns And Muffins Recipes - Cardamom And Saffron Tea Loaf

Ingredients

• generous pinch of saffron strands

• 750ml/3 cups lukewarm milk

• 25g/2 tbsp butter

• 1kg/8 cups strong plain flour

• 2 sachets easy-blend dried yeast

• 40g/3 tbsp caster sugar

• 6 cardamom pods, split open and seeds extracted

• 115g/3/4 cup raisins

• 30ml/2 tbsp clear honey

• 1 egg, beaten

---

Method:

1. Crush the saffron straight into cup containing a little of the warm milk and leave to infuse for 5minutes. Rub the butter into the flour, then mix in the yeast, sugar, cardamom seeds and raisins.

2. Beat the remaining milk with the honey and egg, then mix this into the flour, along with the saffron milk and strands, to from a firm dough. Turn out the dough and knead it on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.

3. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with oiled clear film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin. Turn the dough out on to floured surface, punch down, knead for 3 minutes, then shape into a fat roll and fit into the tin. Cover with a sheet of lightly oiled clear film and stand in a warm place until the dough begins to rise again.

5. Bake the loaf for 25 minutes until golden brown and firm on top. Turn out on to a wire rack and as it cools brush the top with clear honey.