Dried Cherry, Almond and Apricot Breakfast Loaf

 

It never hurts to have something in the house that you can pick up for a quick breakfast on those mornings that you are in a rush and don't have a lot of time for faffing about. Something that you can put together at the weekend, store and then rely on  for a tasty and filling breakfast on-the-go during those busy weekdays that we all have far too often!

 

This is one of my old reliables from my Big Blue Binder. Not only is it delicious, but it's also very, very healthy and  virtually fat free, believe it or not!   That can't be bad!  Free from fat and abundant in flavour. It's win/win!!

 

Chock full of goodness, with hearty oats and wholemeal flour (if you so choose), the sweetness of honey and a bit of brown sugar, toasted nuts, and sweet/tart dried cherries and apricots.  There is only a slight hint of cinnamon flavour, which of course you could increase if you really wanted to.



I like to add an optional glaze of lemon juice and granulated sugar as a personal  preference.  It also helps to keep the nuts on the cake.  I just use about a quarter cup of golden caster sugar and the  juice of half a lemon, which I pour over the cake as soon as I take it out of the oven.



This is a sturdy bread, which makes it a lovely breakfast bread, and quite suitable for toasting under the grill.
It is also a great picnic bread, sliced and put together with some cream cheese in the middle.  Oh so scrummy!

 

I bake it up, slice it into slices, then put it back together with pieces of parchment paper between the slices and then I freeze it in an airtight plastic container.  That way all I have to do is to grab out as many slices as I am wanting to serve and the rest stays safe in the freezer ready to  indulge in at another time.

 

I do hope you'll give this delicious breakfast bread a try.  I think you'll agree with me.  It's a real winner!  Oh, I do so love dried cherries and apricots.  They are my only weakness . . .



*Dried Cherry, Apricot and Almond Breakfast Loaf*
Makes one 2 1/4 pound loaf
Printable Recipe

Perfect to bake at the weekend and then serve for breakfasts during the week, toasted and spread with a bit of butter and honey.

50g old fashioned rolled oats (1/2 cup)
300ml of semi skim milk, warmed (a generous 1 1/4 cups)
240g of self raising flour (2 cups)  (You can use white or wholemeal, depending
on how healthy you want this to be.)
1 tsp baking powder
125g of dried cherries (3/4 cup)
50g of diced dried apricots (1/3 cup)
75g of soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 TBS Acacia honey (runny)
1 large free range egg, beaten
5 TBS flaked toasted almonds, divided

Preheat the oven to 180*C./350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter and line a 2 1/4 pound loaf tin with baking paper.  Set aside.

Measure the oats and fruit into a large bowl.  Add the warm milk.  Allow to stand for about 10 minutes before proceeding.  Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder together onto a piece of parchment paper.  Stir the brown sugar, honey and beaten egg into the oat mixture.  Stir in the flour mixture, mixing together well.  Fold in 3 TBS of the almonds.  Spread the batter into the lined tin, smoothing the top over.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 TBS of flaked almonds on top.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the loaf is risen, golden brown adn a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.  Store in an airtight container. 

To serve, cut into slices and lightly toast under the grill.  Butter and serve with a drizzle of honey.  (Of course you can always just cut it into slices to eat plain.  It's good either way.)