White Rye and Apricot Tea Bread

baking tray, pastry brush, jug or bowl and 2 x mixing bowls

APRICOT TEA BREAD
1 tea bag
100g muscovado sugar
225ml boiling water
300g Doves Farm Organic White Rye Flour
1 tsp Doves Farm Quick Yeast
100g dried apricots
1 tbsp oil
oil, for baking tray

BREAD GLAZE
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp boiling water

200°C, Fan 180°C, 400°F, Gas 6         

Apricot Tea Bread

1. Put the tea bag and muscovado sugar into a jug or bowl, add the boiling water, stir and leave to cool.
2. Put the flour and yeast into a mixing bowl and blend them together.
3. Tip the cold tea into the mixing bowl, squeeze and dispose of the tea bag.
4. Stir to combine and bring together to form a sticky, doughy mass.
5. Invert a large bowl over the dough bowl and leave in a warm place until the dough is swollen and risen, about two hours.
6. Cut the apricots into quarters and gently knead them into the sticky dough.
7. Rub some oil around the inside of a baking tray or insert a baking liner.
8. Sprinkle the oil over the dough.
9. Form the dough into a 23cm/9” oval and put it on the prepared baking tray.
10. Invert a large bowl over the dough and leave to rise in a warm place for 45-50 minutes.
11. Pre-heat the oven 20 minutes before you are going to bake.
12. Remove the inverted bowl and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Bread Glaze

1. Mix the sugar and boiling water together to make a syrup.
2. When the bread comes out of the oven, immediately brush it all over with the syrup.
3. Leave to cool on a wire rack.