Lemon Verbena Tea Bread
WGHS Member Carol made this delicious tea bread for our 2015 Autumn Herb Gathering.
½ c milk ½ t salt
10 lemon verbena leaves and stems 1 T freshly grated lemon rind
½ c butter, softened 2 T finely chopped lemon verbena leaves (about 20)
¾ c sugar 3 T fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs 1 c powdered sugar
1½ c flour lemon verbena leaves for garnish
1 t baking powder
Combine milk and lemon verbena leaves and stems in a small saucepan. Scald milk but do not boil. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a glass measuring cup, discarding lemon verbena. Add more milk to measuring cup to equal ½ cup, if needed, and set aside.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, then gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with reserved lemon verbena flavored milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Stir in lemon rind.
Spoon batter into greased and floured 8-x 4-inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350˚ F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean.
Let cool in pan 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
Glaze
While bread is baking, start glaze.
Combine chopped verbena leaves and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and set aside.
After bread has cooled completely, pour herb-lemon juice mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a small bowl, discarding lemon verbena.
Add powdered sugar and stir with a small whisk until smooth, adding additional lemon juice, ½ teaspoon at a time, if needed, until desired consistency.
Spoon glaze over top of cooled bread, letting excess drip down sides.
Garnish with lemon verbena leaves.