This week, Anita Tasker shares her recipe for orange sultana bread.

AS oranges are abundant at the moment – and cheap – this is a great easy recipe to make. It keeps well and, in fact, is nicer about two days later.

You will need a large saucepan, wooden spoon, set of scales, 500g loaf tin (or in old money a 1lb loaf tin); some greaseproof paper to line the base and sides of the tin, or one of those crinkly loaf liners you can buy in packs are great as you don’t need to grease your tin at all.


Ingredients:

250g sultanas

30g butter

220g castor sugar

375 ml water

The grated rind of one orange

The juice from your orange (or 60ml or 6 teaspoon of orange juice)

1 egg

275g self raising flour
 

We usually double this recipe to make one large tray bake and cut into squares because it is so tasty: so you decide. It bakes well in a square roasting tin.

Place sultanas, butter, sugar and water in your saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring all the time, then simmer uncovered for two minutes on a low heat.

Keep a close watch and don’t let it burn! Remove from heat and stir in your juice and rind of orange, then tip the whole lot into a clean bowl and leave to cool for a good hour.

You can stir occasionally to speed up this process. When cool, stir your egg and flour into your wet mixture. Mix well and pour into your tin.

Bake in moderate oven for about 40 minutes. This is 180-190C or 350-375F or gas mark 4. Always check it's cooked by pushing a knitting needle or skewer into centre of your cake to make sure it is nice and dry and cooked in the centre. Turn on to a wire cooling rack and leave to cool before slicing and eating.

Anita Tasker runs Pattacakes at Welburn