This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her great e-book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery

An Outdated Recipe for Harvest and Mell Suppers

This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her great e-book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
The e-book covers yeast cookery of every kind, with old style spiced breads, buns, pancakes and muffins, amongst others, that are all described along with her unrivalled data.

The recipe was initially printed in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was referred to as “Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake”.
The recipe isn’t a cake, as we would understand it right this moment, however a scrumptious spiced and barely fruited tea loaf, which is plaited and baked free-style.

It could have been served as a part of a Harvest Supper, referred to as Mell Suppers in Northern England, the place it might have been served into thick slices and greater than seemingly, buttered.
I caught to the unique substances, with just a few amendments – I elevated the 1 tablespoon of currants to three tablespoons, and I glazed the bread earlier than baking, with a crushed egg.

My late mom used to make one thing comparable, and he or she at all times glazed her candy loaves of bread with an egg, or with butter as soon as baked – it provides a stunning shiny, burnished end.
I used to be thrilled how this traditioanl tea loaf turned out – it has the same texture and style to a French Brioche, or a Guernsey Gâche.

My plaiting may have been barely higher, as in thinner with tighter strands, however the form was nonetheless pretty as soon as baked, and the style, which is extra necessary, was elegant.
We’ve got loved this during the last two days, firstly when freshly baked with butter, then toasted & buttered the subsequent day. My husband has additionally eaten it with cheese and an apple.

The recipe for this Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf is shared beneath, and I do hope you make it and luxuriate in it as a lot as we have now, Karen

Historical past and Notes
- Background:
- These plaits have been served at farmhouses at harvest-time when many well-earned celebrations befell.
- The recipe was initially printed in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was referred to as “Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake”.
- This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her great e-book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
- In 1956 the Dalesman printed an article, ‘After the Harvest’, by Cyril Swales describing the Mell-Supper custom after harvesting at Fylingdale within the Robin Hood’s Bay space of North Yorkshire. It described harvesting by hand within the nineteenth century by the area people and concerning the Mell celebrations that adopted a profitable harvest.
- You possibly can learn it right here: Mell Suppers
- Supply: Dalesman October 1956, vol. 18, no.7, p.353.

Harvest time, 1954. Picture: Institute of Agricultural Historical past, College of Studying.
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Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf

Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf Recipe

Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf
This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her great e-book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
The e-book covers yeast cookery of every kind, with old style spiced breads, buns, pancakes and muffins, amongst others, that are all described along with her unrivalled data.
The recipe was initially printed in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was referred to as “Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake”.
The recipe isn’t a cake, as we would understand it right this moment, however a scrumptious spiced and barely fruited tea loaf, which is plaited and baked free-style.
It could have been served as a part of a Harvest Supper, referred to as Mell Suppers in Northern England, the place it might have been served into thick slices and greater than seemingly, buttered.
I caught to the unique substances, with just a few amendments – I elevated the 1 tablespoon of currants to three tablespoons, and I glazed the bread earlier than baking, with a crushed egg.
My late mom used to make one thing comparable, and he or she at all times glazed her candy loaves of bread with an egg, or with butter as soon as baked – it provides a stunning shiny, burnished end.
I used to be thrilled how this traditioanl tea loaf turned out – it has the same texture and style to a French Brioche, or a Guernsey Gâche.
My plaiting may have been barely higher, as in thinner with tighter strands, however the form was nonetheless pretty as soon as baked, and the style, which is extra necessary, was elegant.
We’ve got loved this during the last two days, firstly when freshly baked with butter, then toasted & buttered the subsequent day. My husband has additionally eaten it with cheese and an apple.
The recipe for this Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf is shared beneath, and I do hope you make it and luxuriate in it as a lot as we have now, Karen
Substances
- 1lb (450g) robust white bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2oz (60g) butter
- 1oz (30g) white caster sugar
- 1oz (30g) recent yeast or 15g dried yeast
- 1/4 pint (150ml) heat milk
- 1 egg (crushed)
- 3 tablespoons currants
- Little recent nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons candied lemon peel, or freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 egg, crushed with a teaspoon of water for the glaze
Directions
1. Sieve the flour, and salt into a big mixing bowl, then rub within the butter utilizing your fingertips. Make a nicely within the centre of the combination, then add the sugar and the dried yeast.
2. Add the tepid milk and the crushed egg to the flour combination, combine collectively to a kind a smooth, pliable dough.
3. End up the dough onto a frivolously floured work floor. Rigorously work the currants, grated nutmeg and lemon peel into the dough till nicely mixed. Knead frivolously for five minutes, or till clean and elastic.
4. Form the dough right into a ball and place it into the buttered/greased mixing bowl, then cowl with a clear tea towel (or a bathe cap) and put aside in a heat place for one hour to show.
5. End up the proved dough onto a frivolously floured work floor, and knock again the dough.
6. Then divide it into 3 items. Form the three items into lengthy strips, then plait them right into a 3-strand plaint, turning over the ends of the plait to safe each ends.
7. Rigorously place onto a baking sheet, cowl with a clear tea towel and permit to show and rise in a heat place for 20 to half-hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gasoline 7.
9. Brush the crushed egg over the entire plait as a glaze, then bake for 15 to twenty minutes, till golden-brown, and when turned over and tapped beneath, it is going to sound hole.
10, Take away from the baking sheet, and put aside to chill on a wire rack.
11. Serve heat, sliced and unfold with butter, or serve toasted, sliced and unfold with butter.
12. NB: You probably have a bread machine, you can begin the dough within the machine as much as the second proving stage. Add the dried fruit 5 minutes earlier than the tip of kneading or when your bread machine beeps.
Notes
Background:
These plaits have been served at farmhouses at harvest-time when many well-earned celebrations befell.
The recipe was initially printed in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was referred to as “Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake”.
This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her great e-book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
In 1956 the Dalesman printed an article, ‘After the Harvest’, by Cyril Swales describing the Mell-Supper custom after harvesting at Fylingdale within the Robin Hood’s Bay space of North Yorkshire. It described harvesting by hand within the nineteenth century by the area people and concerning the Mell celebrations that adopted a profitable harvest.
You possibly can learn it right here: Mell Suppers
Supply: Dalesman October 1956, vol. 18, no.7, p.353.
Diet Info
Yield 12
Serving Dimension 1
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 224Whole Fats 6gSaturated Fats 3gTrans Fats 0gUnsaturated Fats 2gLdl cholesterol 42mgSodium 138mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 7g

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