Fancy-Pants Worthy Glazed Lemon-Thyme Loaf is All You Need Today with Tea

This quick-to-make bread is full of bright, lemony flavour. The addition of fresh thyme leaves makes it extra-special. It would be perfect for a tea party, brunch or baby shower. I love to make mini-loaves in little cardboard baking pans (you can buy these at most large grocery stores today) and then pop them into cellophane gift bags – they’d make awesome hostess or teacher gifts packaged up this way. Be sure to use fresh thyme leaves as they have quite a different flavour than dried.

Glazed Lemon-Thyme Loaf

Ingredients:

Loaf

3/4 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 large eggs
2 tbsp sour cream
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

Glaze

1/4 cup white sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 tbsp water

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
   
• Make the loaf using a stand or electric hand mixer. In a large bowl beat together the butter, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and thyme until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and blend thoroughly. Add sour cream and blend in.
   
• Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add in, half at a time, to the butter mixture and blend in. Spoon into the loaf pan, smoothing the top with the back of the spoon or your dampened fingertips.
   
• Bake for 45 – 55 minutes for a large loaf pan (or 28 – 30 for minis), or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
   
• While loaf bakes, prepare the glaze. Put sugar, zest, lemon juice, thyme and water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat so it simmers and reduce by half (about 6 – 8 minutes). Strain the hot syrup into a jug or glass measure to make it easier to drizzle.
   
• As soon as you remove the baked loaf from the oven, poke holes all over the top with a toothpick then pour the warm syrup slowly and evenly over the top. Press a few small sprigs of thyme into the top of the loaf; as the glaze cools, the thyme will adhere.
   
• Let cool for 20 minutes then lift out of the pan by the edges of the parchment paper and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
   
• Well-wrapped, the loaf keeps for 3 days at room temperature or 3 months in the freezer.

Makes one large loaf or four mini ones.

IMAGE SOURCES: COURTESY OF PAULA ROY

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