Quick Breads: Earl Grey Tea Loaf

Serves 12
6 Earl Grey tea bags
14 ounces dried fruit, such as raisins, golden raisins, cherries, cranberries
1 orange
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided use
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon quality pumpkin pie spice
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put 4 tea bags in a measuring cup and add 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Leave to brew for a few minutes, then remove tea bags. Put the dried fruit into a large mixing bowl, grate over the zest of the orange and pour over the hot tea. Cover and leave overnight.
Whisk the egg and add to the bowl of fruit along with 1 cup sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and a few good gratings of nutmeg, and squeeze in the juice of the orange. Mix until a dough-like consistency {it might seem dry}. Spoon the mixture into a 4-cup loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cooked through, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Put the 2 remaining tea bags into a pan with 3/4 cup water and the zest and juice of the lemon. Gently bring to a boil, removing the tea bags after a few minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and bring to a boil without stirring-keep it on a steady medium heat so that you have a steady boil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced by half and you have a golden syrup. Pour this into a measuring cup.

As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven, poke little holes in the top and pour the syrup over the loaf. Once the syrup has absorbed, turn loaf onto wire rack and cool