For a very long time we used to have a weekend visitor who would pop in with little or no notice. To ensure I had a treat to share, I baked every weekend. This has changed, and so my baking has taken on a new level. I either need to bake less, or less often. Or like with this malt loaf, I bake something that can be taken to work and enjoyed through the week.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Malt Loaf ♥
My favourite form of malt
The term malting refers to any cereal grain that has been allowed to germinate by being soaked in water. And then having that process stopped by drying the grain with hot air on a malting floor. My favourite form of malt is Scottish whisky, and to me is even better when peat is added. Malt grain is used to make beer, malt vinegar, some sweets and drinks as well as the malt loaf and rich tea biscuits. The most common cereal to use is barley, however wheat, rye, oats, rice and corn can also be malted. Malt extract is a sweet, treacle-like substance and this is what was used for my recipe. You can find barley malt syrup in most health stores.
The history of the malt loaf
The malt loaf was first made in Scotland by John Montgomerie who filed a US patent for the process of making it in 1889. The malt loaf is a sweet leavened bread and has a chewy texture. You can use raisins to be more traditional when baking it. However, I used cranberries as I prefer them. The best way to enjoy this is to spread butter on warmed or even toasted slices. To enhance the flavour, you can also use malt flour.
Using substitutions in baking
As I mentioned, I replaced the raisins for cranberries. This is an easy substitution to make and one I do quite often. I also always replace treacle with honey and if a recipe calls for syrup I head straight for maple syrup. I regularly use coconut sugar to replace brown, muscovado or demerara sugar. In South Africa, our baking flour is called cake flour. I use the term flour so that no matter where you live, you can just grab what is to hand. Some countries have All Purpose flour which is not the same as our cake flour. But the difference should not affect the baking.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Malt Loaf ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Malt Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 strong black tea, tea bag
- 150 mls boiling water
- 200 g cranberries
- 100 g soft prunes, pitted weight, finely chopped
- 2.5 mls bicarbonate of soda
- 150 g malt extract, plus extra for glazing
- 100 g coconut sugar
- 40 g honey
- 250 g flour, sifted
- 5 mls baking powder, sifted
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- butter for serving
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170° Celsius
- Place the tea bag into a microwave proof glass bowl and add the water
- Leave to brew for 5 minutes, then remove the tea bag and discard
- Add the cranberries and prunes, cover with cling film and pierce 5 holes into the clingfilm
- Place into the microwave and blast for 4 minutes on full power
- Remove the bowl from the microwave, taking care as it will be very hot
- Remove the clingfilm and add the bicarbonate of soda
- Stir then set aside for 10 minutes
- Place the malt extract, sugar and honey into a small saucepan
- Cook over a low heat, stirring continuously until the sugar melts
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes
- Place the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre
- Add the fruit, any residual soaking liquid and malt mixture, and gently fold in
- Add the eggs and mix well until combined
- Pour the batter into a lined loaf tin and place into the oven
- Bake for 75 minutes then remove from the oven
- Brush the top of the malt loaf with malt extract then leave to cool completely in the tin
- Remove the loaf from the tin, wrap it tightly in the baking paper you used and set aside for at least 24 hours. (48 would be better if you can hold off that long)
- Remove the baking paper, slice the malt loaf, and serve the slices lathered with butter
- You can lightly toast the slices if you prefer your malt loaf warm
See the links below for blog posts I published on July 16:
- 2023: One Enchanted Evening
- 2021: Hand Cut Noodles
- 2018: Mini Zucchini Quiches
- 2017: The Praying Nun
- 2015: Raspberry Curd
- 2014: Four and Twenty
- 2013: Beef Dumplings Served In Broth
- 2012: Saffron Pasta
- 2011: Food Quiz Number 60 For A Friday
- 2010: Carrot Cake
We are happily able to buy both sorts of flour here – cake flour and normal flour 🙂 This loaf sounds great. Speaking of malt extract, our mum used to make us take a spoonful every night before bed when we were kids. It was supposed to be good for you but probably just rotted our teeth!
I am sure it was very good for your digestion!
Looks delicious! I batch cook as I always like to have something I can whip out in case of unexpected visitors.
This would probably be great for freezing as well 🙂
This recipe reminds me of a honey cake that my mother used to make ( without the cranberries – she used walnuts) years ago. Interesting about the flour. I’m not much of a baker so I could be wrong but I’ve never seen cake flour here. However I have seen it on Passover . They sell a Passover cake flour for baking.
I really want to see what that Pesach flour is like!
This sounds wonderful! I’ve never heard of a malt loaf!
I love this as a midmorning treat 🙂
This is a new one on me. Malt isn’t an ingredient that I use very much but I will make your delicious bread as soon as it gets cool enough to turn on the oven.
I wish I had the same problem here! It is so cold and wet right now 🙂