orange and apricot loaf

For some strange reason the non-chef that I am decided to make strawberry jam and an apricot/orange loaf today. Yesterday I'd gone strawberry picking with a friend and she'd shown me how to make jam. I'd never realised it was soooo easy so today was determined to make some of my own too and now I have several jars of warm jam sat in the kitchen. With todays miserable weather they make perfect handwarmers ;o)

How yummy do all those bits of strawberry look mmmmm. Went lovely on a croissant earlier.

The strawberries were huge, see how big they are compared to an orange.

My 2nd make of the day was an apricot and orange loaf. Unfortunately the tin liners I'd bought were too big for my loaf tin so I ended up using them in a flat tin instead hence the squashed looking loaf. I don't mind though, it'll taste the same.



So here's the recipe for it-

100g dried apricots

an orange

100g self raising flour

100g soft margarine

100g soft light brown sugar

2 eggs

1- pre heat oven to gas 4, 180c or 350f and line your 2lb loaf tin

2- chop dried apricots into a bowl

3- grate the rind of the orange into the bowl

4- Sift the flour into the bowl. Add margarine and sugar.

5- break the eggs into a cup and add them to the bowl.

6- Beat the mix until its light and fluffy.

7- Pour mix into the tin and cook for 40mins

icing ingredients-

100g icing sugar

2 tble spoons of orange juice

8- Mix the icing sugar and orange together until its the consistency of runny glue.

9- pour over the loaf once its cooled.

10- most important.....Eat your yummy cake :o)

Happy cooking