Hibiscus, Raspberry & Almond Loaf

Ingredients:

* 225 g plain gf flour

* 100 g ground almonds 

* 150 g caster sugar

* 2 tsp baking powder

* Pinch of salt

* 3 large eggs, room temperature

* 120 ml sunflower or vegetable oil

* 120 ml natural/soya yoghurt  

* 1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 tsp organic almond extract 

* Zest of 1 lemon

* 150 g freeze dried raspberry powder 

* 1 Tbsp loosely packed Steenbergs organic hibiscus tea

Hibiscus Tea Glaze: 

* 100 g icing (powdered) sugar

* 2 Tbsp brewed hibiscus tea (about 60–80 ml strong infusion)

* Optional: blue cornflowers and edible gold leaf 

Method: 

1. Bring 80–100 ml water to a boil and add Steenbergs Organic Hibiscus Loose Leaf Tea.

2. Steep about 5–7 minutes until deeply coloured and fragrant, then strain. Divide the brew: 60 ml for the glaze and the rest to cool for the batter.

3.Preheat the oven to 170 °C (150 °C fan) / 340 °F**. Grease and line a loaf tin (roughly 23×13 cm / 9×5 in).

4. In a bowl, whisk together gf flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, and the finely ground hibiscus tea.

5. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, lemon zest, oil, yogurt/sour cream, vanilla and almond extract, and cooled hibiscus infusion until smooth.

6. Gently fold the dry mix into the wet until combined—not overmixing.

7. Carefully fold through the raspberries.

8. Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45–55 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. 

9. Once the loaf is cool enough, whisk icing sugar with the cooled brewed hibiscus tea until smooth and pourable (add more tea or sugar to adjust).

10. Drizzle over the loaf and top with our electric blue cornflowers and edible gold leaf.