Saffron Tea Bread Recipes

SAFFRON TEA BREAD

Steps:

• put the saffron in a jug and pour in 230 ml of hot water.
• leave to infuse for at least 20 minutes.
• put the butter and sugar in a large saucepan and stir over a moderate heat.
• When the butter has melted and mixed with the sugar, add the sultanas and cherries.
• pour in the saffron water.
• return to heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• leave to cool.
• preheat over to 180c/gas 4.
• grease and line a 500gr loaf tin.
• stir in the flour/salt and baking powder and slowly stir into saffron mixture to form a batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for between 1 and 1 and quarter hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• leave to cool on a rack.
• serve in slices with butter.
• I have a 1 KG tin, so just use double the mixture and bake longer

MOLASSES TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan, dust lightly with flour, shake out excess and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs, molasses, sugar, ginger, allspice and cinnamon and beat vigorously with a whisk until well-blended.
• Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and buttermilk alternately to the molasses mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition. Sprinkle the walnuts or pecans all over with the flour and then stir into the batter, mixing well.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and shake gently to settle the batter. Set the pan in the center of the hot oven on the lower rack. Bake the bread for 10 minutes and then scatter the top of the loaf evenly with the crystallized sugar.
• Bake the molasses bread for 45 to 50 minutes or until it is brown and puffy and a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean but a little moist. Don't overbake the bread and dry it out; it should be moist.
• Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a metal spatula around the edge of the bread and turn out the bread onto a rack or board lined with a tea cloth or sheet of wax paper. Then, turn the bread upright and serve warm, if desired.

SAFFRON BREAD

Steps:

• Steep the saffron in the hot water overnight. Make sure you use a container that is covered to keep the heat inside. This step is crucial to getting the taste and flavor you want in the bread.
• The next morning, Sift the flour into a very large bowl add the sugar then cut in the butter and crisco using a pastry cutter.
• Add the currants, raisins, orange peel, lemon rind, nutmeg, salt and saffron water.
• Mix together, then sprinkle the yeast on the top of the mixture and add the lukewarm water.
• Knead the bread mixture until everything is combined. The bread should be a light orange/dark yellow in color.
• Then place the bread in a warm location, covered. And allow to rise until doubled in size.
• Once doubled, knead the bread again, and allow to rise until doubled one more time.
• Cut the dough into 6 loaves.
• Knead each dough ball and then place the loaves into greased loaf pans.
• Cover the pans and allow to rise until about level with the top of the pans.
• Bake the loaves at 350 degrees for 1 hour.