Montmorency Tart Cherry Tea Bread

Ingredients

• 10 ounces boiling water
• 1 bag earl grey tea
• 250 grams dried tart cherries, roughly dropped
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs

Directions

Pour boiling water into a large bowl. Place tea bag in the bowl and let steep for 5-7 minutes. Remove tea bag once steeped and discard.

Add the dried tart cherries, maple syrup and orange zest to the bowl, toss to combine and submerge the cherries in the liquid. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Add the flour, baking powder and spices to a large bowl. Stir to combine.

Add the soaked cherries along with any excess liquid to the bowl with the flour. Add the eggs and mix until well combined.

Transfer the batter to the parchment lined loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until set and golden brown on top and around the edges.

Remove the bread from the loaf pan by pulling the sides of the parchment paper up and place the bread on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Contributed by: Gina Matsoukas, runningtothekitchen.com