Recipe Method

1. Combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a 3 litre SPAR Good Living 3 litre porcelain mixing bowl.
2. Warm the water/milk and margarine together to blood temperature.
3. Beat in egg, then pour immediately onto the flour, mixing initially with a wooden spoon and then your hands, to bring it together to a smooth dough.
4. Set aside covered with plastic film in a warm place, until it rises to double its size.
5. Punch down well using your knuckles which will ensure even distribution of air for a good texture.
6. Cut the dough in half, and turn one piece into savoury and the other into a tea bread, using these two different methods below.

FOR A SAVOURY PLAIT

1. Work in 100 g SPAR grated cheddar cheese with 1 small finely chopped or grated onion. Grind in a generous amount of black pepper.
2. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and using your hands, roll them into equal size sausages. Plait them firmly together, squeezing at both ends to seal well.
3. Set aside on a greased SPAR Freshline baking tray, in a warm place to double its size again, while the oven heats to 200 ºC.
4. Brush with milk and bake for 30 minutes.

Variations

• Chopped cooked bacon
• Ham and chives
• Roasted pepper and feta
• Chilli and cheese

FOR ROCKY-ROAD TEA LOAF

• x10 pink and white marshmallows finely chopped
• x10 SPAR red glace? cherries, chopped
• 80 ml choc-chips (50 g)
• 80 ml seedless raisins (50 g)

1. Shape ¾ of the dough into a bun. Using a wooden spoon handle, push a cavity in the centre of the bun. Shape the ¼ dough into a mushroom shape, and firmly insert the stem end into the cavity.
2. Set aside on a greased SPAR Freshline baking tray, in a warm place to double its size again, while the oven heats to 200 º C.
3. Brush with milk and bake for 30 minutes.
4. When cool, drizzle icing over the tops:

ICING

• 250 ml SPAR icing sugar, sifted
• +- 25 ml warm water