Rosemary Fig Loaf with Pinenuts

If you're one to enjoy a cup of tea and a light and delicious baked good, this recipe is up your alley, especially if you enjoy a sweet fragrance. Herbs are not only for use in savoury cooking - using them when baking can be great. I enjoy using sage and rosemary especially when making sweet breads, loafs and cakes.

Below is my recipe for a moist and delicious loaf that can be enjoyed with your morning cup of tea or coffee or for dessert. Give it a try!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 cup soft butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts (more for garnish)

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (more for garnish)

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp salt

Method

Preheat oven at 350C. Beat the sugar and butter in an stand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then slowly add flour and mix until incorporated. Lastly, add lemon zest, rosemary, vanilla, salt and pine nuts and mix for one minute. The batter will be thick, so grab a strong spatula and scoop out the batter into a greased loaf pan. Slice some figs in half and press into the top of the batter and sprinkle a few more pine nuts over top. Add extra rosemary for garnish. Bake for 1 hour at 350C, then remove from oven and drizzle with honey and let cool on wire rack. 

Enjoy!