The Joys of Malt Loaf
A recent survey found the iconic food of the British is fish and chips. It started me thinking about other foods that might be specificially associated with the British. There’s roast beef and yorkshire pudding, of course, and cucumber sandwiches. A few years ago, Chicken Tikka Masala, an Indian dish, was voted the nation’s favourite, showing the best of multi-cultural Britain.
For me, one of the foods that is peculiarly British is malt loaf. I don’t know what other country you can find it in. (If you can think of anywhere else in the world where it is cherished and relished, do let me know by adding a comment!)
Malt loaf is a small, dark, fruity loaf which is about the size of a mini-brick. It is sticky and soft so that when you cut into it with a knife, you have to be careful not to press down too hard or you will squash the loaf. When you’ve sliced it, it looks like a slice of bread soaked in syrupy Guinness and crammed with currants and raisins. It tastes best with a slathering of butter on it. Inside your mouth, it is sticky and caramelly, clinging to your palate and teeth. The combination of slightly salty butter and fruity, toffee-like sweetness is just yummy!
Now, we have a rule about malt loaf in our household. We are only allowed to have it after a long, bracing walk - preferably in briskly chilled air. Or, after we’ve worked hard in the garden. In those circumstances, we can luxuriate in the taste and stickiness in the belief that it is good for us - as opposed to just being sweet and fattening. Ideally, we always have it with a cup of strong tea.
Protestant work ethic, sticky currant loaf and a mug of strong tea - how much more British can we get than that!
Hmmm, even writing about it makes me drool. I will have to go for a quick march round the neighbourhood now so I can break open my stache of malt loaf in the kitchen cupboard….
- Posted on
Wed, September 20th, 2006 - Author
Yang-May Ooi - Category
- 47 responses
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September 20th, 2006 at 8:59 am
I agree, malt loaf is very yummy.
September 20th, 2006 at 9:28 am
I think it’s interesting to note that Chicken Tikka Masala might not even have true Indian origins, and could actually be from the UK itself!
Have never tried Malt Loaf. Shall do so if ever I get a chance to go to the UK.
September 26th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Ted, I think you’re right. A lot of Indian curry dishes in the UK aren’t found in India or anywhere else! My cousin from Australia loves to have Indian food here - he says he can’t get the same taste in the Indian restaurants over there.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:41 am
My family is from the North of England, and they reckon malt loaf started up there. Hence they associate it as a bit of a northern working class treat. And as for the butter, it is not an option, it is essential. And malt loaf should be eaten with a pot of tea that has been brewing for at least 3 years.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:43 am
And chillies - what makes Indian food hot, originated in South America - taken to India by the Portuguese. And our chips of course originated in North America. And pasta came to Italy from China. I guess we’ve been doing fusion stuff with travelling food long before people travelled as much.
October 2nd, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Yes, DG, the one way to upset an Italian is to tell them that spaghetti is really noodles and should be eaten with chopsticks….
October 10th, 2006 at 8:43 am
I’ve lived in France for the last 20 years and one of the things I miss the most is malt loaf. I recently bought a bread machine and would like to make malt loaf, the only problem is where to buy malt extract in the south of France, Toulouse region.
As I’m a northern lass, I agree that malt loaf is from up our-end, I was brought up on it!
October 10th, 2006 at 8:58 am
SOS - Can anyone help Carol find malt extract in France? Please add a comment or email me and I will pass on your email.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:23 am
I also live in France and want to make malt loaf, has anyone found where malt extract can be obtained?
January 26th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I would like to make some Malt Loaf, as we can not buy it in the Cayman Islands.I have no idea how, to any recipes? I have one jar of malt extract given to me by my sister-in-law 2 years ago, the last recipe I tried wasted precious malt extract.
February 5th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Malt loaf is a very healthy food, not as you have said in your writings. It is used by many cyclists and runners etc
February 7th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
IN response to a request by Kim Lewis, herewith a Malt Loaf recipe, makes one 500 g loaf. Let me know how you get on.
FIT the metal chopping blade and put
the flour, butter and sugar in the
processor bowl of food processor.
Warm the milk, treacle and malt
extract, pour down the the feed tube
and process until smooth. Add the
sultanas and process for 2 seconds.
Turn into a well greased 500g loaf tin
and bake in a preheated moderate
oven, 160 deg C(325 deg F), Gas Mark 3, for 1 hour, until golden. Turn onto a wire rack.
Boil the sugar and water together and use to brush the top of the loaf
immediately.Leave until cold,
preferably until the next day. Serve
sliced and buttered.
250 g self-raising
flour
25 g butter
25 g soft brown sugar
[or palm or rock sugar,
or plain honey]
150 ml milk or soya milk
2 tsp black treacle
1 rounded tbsp malt
extract
50 g sultanas
GLAZE:
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
February 8th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
pedro Says:
February 5th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Malt loaf is a very healthy food, not as you have said in your writings. It is used by many cyclists and runners etc
CALORIFIC malt loaf is high in sugar and bad saturated fats that butter used therein is, so I wouldn’t say it is healthy stuff at all! OK I suppose, for the long-distance cycle tourist that needs all that high-energy stuff to replenish, to fuel and to burn - yeeton
March 10th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Malt loaf generally doesn’t contain butter. Well, not the stuff you buy in the shops, anyway. (I can’t digest dairy products, so I’m very glad it doesn’t!)
I recently bought two types from a well-known supermarket. A cheap one for 22p, and an organic one 4 times the price. Guess which was nicer!
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
cut with butter…POPYCOCK - you havnt lived till you eaten it TOASTED lightly with butter, the butter melts, its crispy on the outside, gooey in the inside OMG….im gonna go get some. On the health side, no it aint “good” (in my opinion)for you too many calories per slice, if you are cyclist runner maybe good for that calorie boost but so is a piece of chocolate or some fruit gums. I wouldnt eat this stuff too much or you’ll turn into a ‘fatty’. BEFORE, working in the garden, or before the Gym, cycling could be good, or perhaps 1 or 2 pieces ON ocassion first thing in the morning to kick start the old metabalism. Other than that…..hmmmmmm….still delicious!
March 27th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
OMG
Ive just eaten a full large malt loaf (with butter, groan!). I miss-read the packet and thought it said 86 calories per 1/2 a loaf! I thought ‘well thats not bad, i’ll eat it all!’ Just checked calories on web site and its 86 cals per 1/8 of a loaf!! I’m seriously upset now!!
April 2nd, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I also love soreen malt loaf with butter. Just had 4 slices (half a loaf) and a big mug of tea. I made my own in one of those bread machines that I have and it was a huge disappointment. It was not squashy and sticky,it was the same texture as a normal loaf of bread ;:-( maybe I should have added more treacle??? any ideas
April 2nd, 2007 at 5:21 pm
ALWENA, perhaps
you should
make it according to the recipe I gave on February 7th for a superior
loaf.
April 5th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
I am English, but have lived in the States for 32 years and long for this delightful bread. Does anyone have a good recipe???????
April 5th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Hi Patricia - you can try yeeton’s recipe he posted on 7 Feb. Or Google “Delia Smith malt loaf recipe” and see how that turns out for you.
April 6th, 2007 at 3:16 am
Re: Fusion Food
Here in the states we have Canadian Bacon, which I believe cannot be found in Canada. What we call cookies are biscuits in Canada.
We also have English Muffins. This too, I think did not originate in England. And, of course, there is Pizza, which did not originate in Italy.
April 6th, 2007 at 8:14 am
Hi digitalnomad - yum, I love Canadian Bacan, esp with pancakes and maple syrup. The best place that does that combo is Mama’s on Washington Square in San Francisco…
April 24th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I also misread the calorifc content (only noticed as the last piece went down swimmingly). Hey ho the damage is done now…. Anyway, just off to the gym!
April 25th, 2007 at 9:00 am
Karen, it’s best not to read calorific content on goodies, I find!
May 8th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
I live near Cognac, in France, and get my malt extract from the English Shop in Saintes (La Perfide Albian). You could try calling the owner (Nat) to see if he will mail some jars to you (250g). Open Tuesday thru Saturday. Phone is 05 46 94 24 98, and the address is 11 rue Arc de Triomphe, 17100 Saintes.
May 8th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Thanks Clive for the helpful info re the shop in France that stocks malt extract - it will be useful for all those homesick Britons living over there. PS. I love the name of the shop!
June 24th, 2007 at 1:30 am
I live in Brazil and we have a type of malt loaf. Its called pe de moleque and its served around June for the st Joao (st Johns) holiday or the harvest festival.
June 24th, 2007 at 8:30 am
Is pe de moleque only eaten as part of a festival, Steve? Do you know anything about its religious significance eg how is it associated with St John? This is fascinating - please do share more.
June 30th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
wow thanks for the great malt loaf recipeIm from the North of England and grew up on Malt loaf as one of our Sunday teatime foods. i now live in Canada. My sister sent me the recipe and said I could substitute the malt extract for Ovaltine(the Drink Beverage)
July 25th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Malt loaf is fabulous. Toasted gives it a nice crunchy texture. Thick proper butter and a thin slice of mature cheddar. Laughing cow works too.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Several ex-pats got it right. Butter is mandatory, although tea steeped for a few months rather than years is fine.
I’m looking for a recipe, as Toronto, as multi-cultural as it is, has lost touch with it’s very British roots. I’m down to the last two Soreen loaves, so I’m going to need another trip over ‘ome. With airfare etc. each loaf cost a bomb, but worth every penny.
One other English treat: Walls ice cream with a Flakey bar stuck in it. Too bad Kunzle Cakes (from B’rum) have gone.
Now back to my Dandilion & Burdock!
November 7th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Hi,
back again one year later,
At last I’ve found malt extract in a shop called Bio Azur in Albi, south France.
I would advise people to go to Bio shops for that rare, hard to find, malt extract !
P.s Does malt loaf eating help to get a bigger willy or does the latest comment have strictly nothing to do with malt loaf ?
November 7th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Hi Carol, thanks for coming back - and for pointing out the spam! I’ve now deleted that comment. Re your quest for malt extract - hallelujah that you found some. How has your home made malt loaf turned out with the rare extract?
Marguerita, Hobbes and Glenn - thanks for stopping by and sharing your malt loaf experiences/ preferences!
February 23rd, 2008 at 7:05 am
This looks like the real stuff, but where is the recipe??
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:05 am
Hi Bob - I don’t have the skills to make malt loaf but I enjoy eating it so that’s why I didn’t post up the recipe. However, one of my commenters has done so in his comment of Feb 07 2007 (yeeton) or Google “Delia Smith malt loaf recipe”.
February 24th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Thanks Yang-May and Yee Ton.
March 25th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Stodge City!
April 8th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I was looking for a recipe for this having watched the children demolish a loaf in about 2 seconds. My husband likes his cut lengthways with Clover (we don’t use butter) and do you know what, he is skinny like a pencil. So I am desparate for one. Anyone who wants some mailed to them, let me know.
April 20th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Ronny, this is probably a dumb question but which loaf was nicer the cheap or organic one? Been inspired to buy some, just wondering if posher ones are worth the money
April 21st, 2008 at 3:59 am
there have been a few attempts to make and sell maltloaves in western australia but none of them were sticky enough and the right size. always too big. They were clearly made in australia in the old days as there were many different recipes available. I have tried some of the ones that don’t use yeast and one is OK but not sticky enough. Tom Broster
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I’m sitting here eating malt-loaf, and typed the word into google to see what would come up!
I’ve heard it’s very good for your health, so I’m making sure I snack on it often!
June 14th, 2008 at 9:04 am
You can by it in Perth, Western Australia (I bought Soreen at the ‘British’ shop in Floret.) It was hiddiously overpriced though.
I just ate an entire Soreen (no butter) over a cup of very strong tea whilst working and I stumbled across this website whilst trying to find out if it was very bad for me!!! I do like a slice - just don’t normally binge on a whole loaf!
June 14th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Wow, Sally, a whole loaf! Well, without butter, it’s mildly less bad for you, I guess!
July 12th, 2008 at 1:12 am
On a recent trip to England I discovered the joy of Malt Loaf!!
I find that using a serrated knife sprayed with a little non-stick cooking spray works great at slicing it ;)
I live in Arizona, USA, & unfortunetly only brought back one loaf, so hopefully I will either:
Find a shop here in the States that sells it…or
Attempt to make some myself (best possibility)
:) Great thread - take care everyone!
November 5th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
I trotally agree.
like Maltloaf is delicious but i fear one thing
does marmite cause amnesia?
because im starting to forget who i really am,.
Love Taz xx
November 7th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Could the health benefits be from the Vitamin B content?
November 9th, 2008 at 12:21 am
I live in Costa Rica (via KANSAS). A good friend here is from England and brought a malt loaf back with her from her last visit! I LOVE IT! We are on a mission to MAKE them HERE.
I found that trecale (sp?) a common ingredient in all on line malt loaf recipes is MOLASSES! We can find THAT, but we are still struggling with finding MALT EXTRACT. Do you know if OVALTINE can be substituted for it?????
I LOVE malt loaf!!! My next ENGLISH treat will be Branson Pickles, Walnut Whips and Crummets (which my english friend SWEARS is NOT the same as English Muffins….we’ll see)!!
Long Live Malt Loaf LOVERS!!!