Welsh wonders

Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus overnight soaking
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Makes a 900g / 2 lb loaf

Ingredients
200g / 7 oz currants
75g / 2 3/4 oz raisins
75g / 2 3/4 oz sultanas
50g / 2 oz other dried fruit (see above) OR use a total of 400g / 14 oz mixed dried fruit
250ml / 10fl oz of normal tea, cooled
Grated zest of one orange
4 tbsp orange juice
1 egg
6 tbsp dark brown sugar
350g / 12 oz self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice

Soak the fruit in the tea overnight.

Grease a 900g / 2 lb loaf tin and preheat the oven to 170C / 325F/gas mark 3.

Add the orange zest and juice to the fruit. Mix the egg and sugar in a mixing bowl and sift in the flour and spice. Add the fruit with its liquid and fold until the mixture is blended. Spoon into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, 35 minutes. Check it?s cooked by inserting a skewer in the centre, it should come out clean. If the top begins to get too dark, cover loosely with a piece of tin foil.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and continue cooling. Serve in slices with unsalted butter.