Auntie Jean’s Loaf.

This really should be called ‘Pam Blake’s Auntie Jean’s Loaf’. I never met Auntie Jean because she was long gone when I came to Okoroire, but Pam was married to Gordon, one of the Blake twins and lived just up the road. She had a lovely garden, and I can remember her once driving us to Garden Circle in a new car. She took a corner a little fast at one point and apologised, saying in her soft voice ‘Oh dear, this new car is rather impatient’.

We all made Auntie Jean’s a lot. It is very easy to make, really moist and delicious sliced with a little butter, keeps well in the fridge wrapped up, and freezes well too. You can even slice it frozen. It’s a great standby for unexpected guests or when you have to take a ‘plate’ to a function. I sometimes make a special version at Christmas with glacé cherries and macadamia nuts. You can even heat it up and serve it as a dessert with cream or custard or ice-cream. People often ask me what spices are in it and they are surprised when they hear there are none. You’ll have to fiddle a bit to get a ‘large cup’. I expect Auntie Jean had a particular cup in mind. The blue one perhaps. Try a cup and a 1/4.

Ingredients:

o 500 gm dates, sultanas and nuts.

o 3 cups of water

o 4 large cups flour

o 4 level tsp baking soda

o 500 gm brown sugar

Method:

1. Boil fruit and nuts in water for 5 - 10 minutes.

1. Add sugar and stir a few times while cooling.
2. Butter two large or three small loaf tins and put the oven onto 350ºF or 150ºC.
3. When cool add flour and soda. It will start frothing immediately.
4. Pour into tins and bake about one hour. This time will depend on the size of tin of course. Test with a skewer in the middle. If the skewer comes out clean, it is done. Try not to overcook these.
5. Remove from tins and cool on a wire rack.
6. Store in fridge or freezer.
7. Slice and butter to serve.