Recipe for Irish Tea Bread

To commemorate the Queen's visit to Ireland here is a recipe for Irish Tea Bread which is delicious spread liberally with butter and served with a cup of tea and a good book. To make a celebratory version use luxury mixed fruit with cherries and pineapple pieces in.  For the everyday version just ordinary mixed fruit.  If you forget to soak the fruit overnight it will be just as good if you soak it for two hours on the same day.  It's measured very roughly in cups. I just use a good-sized tea cup.

Ingredients
12oz/350g mixed dried fruit (the kind with peel)
1 cup of cold tea
2 cups of self-raising flour
1 cup soft, dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 egg

Method

Soak the fruit in the cold tea overnight, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Bake in a 2lb (900g) loaf tin for 75-90 minutes at 350F, 180C, Gas Mark 4, covering the top with greaseproof paper for the first hour so that it does not brown too quickly.  Cool on a rack and serve sliced as it is, or buttered.