This sweet, sticky loaf is more cake-like than bread. It is wonderful warmed up with a spread of butter!
Malt bread is a slightly sweet, dense bread. It's sweetness is from the fruit while the malt extract gives it an almost savoury flavour. The combination sounds a bit odd, but it is so wonderful to eat!
A company called "Soreen" makes malt loaves and you can find them here in North America at any British store. I set out to find a great recipe that could replicate these loaves, and I am pleased that I found this one. This is a very straight forward recipe and it is done all in one bowl!
There are a few ingredients to this recipe that are a bit difficult to find in North America. The recipe calls for treacle and malt extract. I found the treacle at a British store, but you can also find it here. You can also use molasses in it's place very successfully. I found malt extract here.
Malt bread tastes better as it ages, so like a fruit cake, you want to let the bread mature for a day or so before you cut into it. The patience is worth it!
British Malt Bread
Ingredients
- 400 ml boiling water
- 2 tea bags (orange pekoe, English breakfast tea, or earl grey)
- 300g sultana raisins
- 200g prunes, chopped into small pieces
- 50g butter, softened
- 75g treacle (or molasses)
- 175g dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 340g malt extract
- 250g all purpose flour
- 250g whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F and line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- For the tea, place 400ml boiling water in a measuring cup. Place tea bags in measuring cup and allow tea to steep for 5 minutes. Meanwhile place raisins and prunes in a very large bowl.
- When tea is ready, discard tea bags and pour tea over top of fruit. Add butter so it can melt in the hot tea. Allow mixture to sit for a few minutes so the fruit can soak up some of the tea.
- Add treacle, sugar and malt extract to the bowl and mix to combine. Beat in the eggs and then add in both flours, baking powder and baking soda. Fold to combine. Divide between the two loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or until loafs are risen and spring back to the touch.
- Cool in tins on a wired rack for 10 minutes. Remove loafs from the pan and cool completely. Wrap loaves in parchment paper and store in a cool, dry area for at least 24 hours. Loaves will keep for 1 week.
Hi what size loaf tins did you use 1lb or 2 lb?
Hi Doreen, I used a standard sized loaf pan. The measurements are 8.5"x 4.5"x 2.5".
This is a wonderful recipe. Malt bread just as I remember it. I had recently purchased a commercially baked loaf from a well known bread company and was truly disappointed, but this absolutely delish!!
Thanks Janet! I'm glad you liked it 🙂
The recipe calls for malt extract. Is that liquid or powder? I buy my flour at a mill and they sold me powdered malt extract. Thanks
The barley malt extract I used is very similar to molasses. This is the one I used: https://www.amazon.ca/Eden-Foods-Organic-Sweeteners-Barley-Syrup/dp/B00LXOXNQU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=barley+malt&qid=1581900076&sr=8-1
I miss malt loaves! Will have a go at it, thanks for sharing 🙂
You're welcome 🙂