Dried fruit dishes for any time of day

Add panache to anything from breakfast and teatime cake to starters and post-dinner snacks

DRIED-FRUIT BREAD

FOR BREAKFAST A thin slice of this delicious bread served with a little cream cheese, blue cheese and honeyed bacon makes for a deliciously different first meal of the day. MAKES 30-40 THIN SLICES PREPARATION: 20 MIN BAKING: 40-60 MIN 4 large eggs 10ml (2t) vanilla essence 80ml (¹⁄3c) brown sugar or honey 180ml (¾c) cake flour 2,5ml (½t) salt 1,2ml (¼t) baking powder 1,2ml (¼t) bicarbonate of soda 70g dried apricots, chopped 50g dried cranberries 50g dried pears, chopped 50g currants or sultanas 100g ground almonds 100g whole almonds or pecan nuts, chopped 100g toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds TO SERVE bacon rashers brushed with honey and grilled cream cheese blue cheese (optional) a little honey for drizzling (optional) Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a small loaf tin with nonstick spray and line with baking paper. 1 In a large bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla essence and sugar or honey together until thick and smooth. 2 In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. 3 In a third bowl mix the fruit, nuts and seeds then sift a little of the flour mixture over. 4 Alternating between the dry ingredients and the fruit mixture, fold these into the egg mixture. 5 Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 40-60 minutes – a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean. If it’s still not done after 40 minutes, cover with foil (to keep it from burning) and continue baking. Once done, remove from the oven and cool a little in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To store, wrap in clingfilm – it will keep for several weeks in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer. 6 To serve Slice superthinly. Spread cream cheese on a slice or two per serving, stack bacon on top and crumble blue cheese over (if using). Finish with a drizzle of honey if you like.