Tea Spiced Fruitcake Recipes

SPICED FRUIT TEA

Steps:

• Pour boiling water into a very large bowl. Add the tea bags.
• Let steep for 5 minutes.
• Remove and discard tea bags Stir in sugar and cinnamon until sugar is dissolved.
• Stir in pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and lime juice.
• Remove 3 cups of the mixture.
• Cover and chill the remaining mixture for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
• Pour the 3 cups tea mixture into two clean ice cube trays, adding kumquat slices, if desired.
• Cover and freeze until firm.
• To serve, divide prepared ice cubes among glasses.
• Add chilled tea mixture.
• If desired, garnish with fruit and/or mint. Makes: 8 to 10 (about 8-ounce) servings.

HOT SPICED TEA FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Steps:

• Pour water into a pot; add cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags to water and set aside to steep until the tea is to your preferred strength, at least 5 minutes. Remove and discard cloves, cinnamon stick, and tea bags.
• Stir orange juice, sugar, pineapple juice, and lemon juice together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir the juice mixture until the sugar dissolves completely. Pour juice mixture into the spiced tea; serve hot.

APPLE SPICED TEA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add boiling water. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain, discarding tea bag and spices. Stir in sugar. Serve immediately.

TEA FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a medium sized bowl mix together the raisins, currants, cherries, apricots, walnuts, lemon zest and brandy. Cover and allow to macerate, covered in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 7 days, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess liquid before making batter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans. In an electric mixer cream the butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Sift together the dry ingredients and toss 1/2-cup of this mixture with the fruits. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients in 2 batches to the butter mixture, alternating with the orange juice and brandy. Beat until incorporated. Fold in the floured fruits and spoon batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour and a half or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

SPICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large kettle or Dutch oven over medium heat, bring 1 qt. of water to a boil. Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. , Place cloves and cinnamon sticks in a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with a string (or, if desired, place loose spices in pan and strain tea before serving). , Place the cheesecloth bag in pan; add the concentrates, sugar, tea and remaining water; bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 6 minutes. Serve hot.

SPICED TEA MIX

Steps:

• In an airtight container, combine the first five ingredients. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Yield: about 7-1/2 cups total. , To prepare tea: Dissolve about 1 tablespoon tea mix in boiling water; stir well. Yield: 1 serving., To prepare punch: In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the juices, 1/4-1/3 cup tea mix and cinnamon sticks. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Yield: about 12 servings (6 ounces each).

TEA-SPICED FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine raisins, apricots, ginger, kumquats, star-anise pods, and vanilla-bean pod in a medium bowl. Bring water to boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat, add tea, and cover; let steep 6 to 8 minutes. Strain brewed tea into bowl with fruit; let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour or up to overnight (the fruit will soften and absorb the liquid). Remove and discard star anise and vanilla pods.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine brown sugar, zest, and vanilla-bean seeds in a small bowl. Use your fingers to mix ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, lightly whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and fennel seed.
• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment; butter parchment. With mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and brown-sugar mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just combined. Add dried fruit mixture, pistachios, and marmalade; beat until just combined.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Using a toothpick or skewer, poke holes in top of cake; pour rum over cake. Let cool completely in pan.
• In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle icing over cake. Garnish with thin slices of fruit from additional marmalade.