From Brenda Hyde

Lard Tea Cakes

Grand Union Tea Cook Book

Chocolate Tea Bread

Cream butter, sugar and egg in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended; stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased 8-1/2x4-1/2x2-1/2 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Thinly slice and serve on platter with tea.

Mini Lemon Tea Breads

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease ten 4"x2 1/4" loaf pans. From lemons, grate the peel and squeeze 1/4 cup lemon juice. In large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender or two knives butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon peel. In bowl beat eggs, milk and lemon juice; stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Spoon evenly into pans; top with remaining lemon peel. Place loaf pans on a baking pan for easier handling. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on racks.

Notes: You can use one 9"x 5" loaf pan and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Peach Tea Bread

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In medium size bowl, combine peaches and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine oil, milk, eggs and vanilla. Add oil mixture to flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overbeat. Fold in peaches and nuts. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched, or test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Lavender Tea Bread

Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then steep until cool. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in bowl. In another bowl cream butter and gradually add sugar, then eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with lavender milk, in three parts. Mix until batter is just blended, do not overbeat. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. When completely cool, drizzle with a simple sugar glaze or sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with sprigs of fresh lavender.

Sage Tea Bread

In a small saucepan, heat milk and sage just until warm. Set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture. Pour into a greased 9x5x3" loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

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