Candied Orange & Almond Loaf

 Print This Post

This beautifully moist orange & almond loaf is THE ideal afternoon treat with a cup of Earl Grey tea. The recipe uses whole boiled oranges in the cake batter and is topped with homemade candied orange slices and their cooking syrup and produces a dense, lightly flavoured loaf with great texture. It can either be served as an afternoon snack, sliced and eaten as is with a cup of tea, or as a dessert drizzled with some reserved candied orange syrup and some extra thick dollop cream. Mmmmmmm …

Candied Orange Slices

• 2 large oranges, sliced into rounds approx half a centimetre thick
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 cups water

1. In a large, deep fry pan, combine the sugar and water and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the orange slices. Continue to simmer until the syrup has thickened and the orange slices are translucent. Be sure to turn the orange slices occasionally.
3. Remove the orange slices to a wire cooling rack and boil the syrup further if required.

Orange & Almond Loaf

• 2 large oranges
• 3 cups whole almonds
• 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 cup raw caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

1. Place the oranges in a pot filled with cold water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 2 hours. Remove the oranges and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius. Grease and line a loaf tin.
3. In a food processor, blitz the almonds until they form a very fine almond meal. Remove from food processor and sift with the flour into a bowl and set aside.
4. Cut the oranges into quarters and remove the pith and seeds. Add to the food processor and blitz until pureed.
5.  Add the butter, eggs and sugar and blitz until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. 
6. Add the flour mixture and pulse until combined. If the mixture appears to be too thick, you can add a few tablespoons of milk. (The consistency should be thick, but batterlike. If it resembles a dough more than a batter, you will need to add some milk.)
7. Pour into prepared tin, top with candied orange slices and two tablespoons of the syrup and bake for 60 – 75 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre of loaf comes out clean.