This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her wonderful book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery
An Old Recipe for Harvest and Mell Suppers
This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her wonderful book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
The book covers yeast cookery of all kinds, with old-fashioned spiced breads, buns, pancakes and muffins, among others, which are all described with her unrivalled knowledge.
The recipe was originally published in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was called “Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake”.
The recipe is not a cake, as we might know it today, but a delicious spiced and slightly fruited tea loaf, which is plaited and baked free-style.
It would have been served as part of a Harvest Supper, called Mell Suppers in Northern England, where it would have been served into thick slices and more than likely, buttered.
I stuck to the original ingredients, with a few amendments – I increased the 1 tablespoon of currants to 3 tablespoons, and I glazed the bread before baking, with a beaten egg.
My late mother used to make something similar, and she always glazed her sweet loaves of bread with an egg, or with butter once baked – it gives a lovely shiny, burnished finish.
I was thrilled how this traditioanl tea loaf turned out – it has a similar texture and taste to a French Brioche, or a Guernsey Gâche.
My plaiting could have been slightly better, as in thinner with tighter strands, but the shape was still lovely once baked, and the taste, which is more important, was sublime.
We have enjoyed this over the last two days, firstly when freshly baked with butter, then toasted & buttered the next day. My husband has also eaten it with cheese and an apple.
The recipe for this Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf is shared below, and I do hope you make it and enjoy it as much as we have, Karen
History and Notes
- Background:
- These plaits were served at farmhouses at harvest-time when many well-earned celebrations took place.
- The recipe was originally published in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was called “Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake”.
- This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her wonderful book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
- In 1956 the Dalesman published an article, ‘After the Harvest’, by Cyril Swales describing the Mell-Supper tradition after harvesting at Fylingdale in the Robin Hood’s Bay area of North Yorkshire. It described harvesting by hand in the 19th century by the local community and about the Mell celebrations that followed a successful harvest.
- You can read it here: Mell Suppers
- Source: Dalesman October 1956, vol. 18, no.7, p.353.
Harvest time, 1954. Image: Institute of Agricultural History, University of Reading.
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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 wonderful book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
The book covers yeast cookery of all kinds, with old-fashioned spiced breads, buns, pancakes and muffins, among others, which are all described with her unrivalled knowledge.
The recipe was originally published in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was called "Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake".
The recipe is not a cake, as we might know it today, but a delicious spiced and slightly fruited tea loaf, which is plaited and baked free-style.
It would have been served as part of a Harvest Supper, called Mell Suppers in Northern England, where it would have been served into thick slices and more than likely, buttered.
I stuck to the original ingredients, with a few amendments - I increased the 1 tablespoon of currants to 3 tablespoons, and I glazed the bread before baking, with a beaten egg.
My late mother used to make something similar, and she always glazed her sweet loaves of bread with an egg, or with butter once baked - it gives a lovely shiny, burnished finish.
I was thrilled how this traditioanl tea loaf turned out - it has a similar texture and taste to a French Brioche, or a Guernsey Gâche.
My plaiting could have been slightly better, as in thinner with tighter strands, but the shape was still lovely once baked, and the taste, which is more important, was sublime.
We have enjoyed this over the last two days, firstly when freshly baked with butter, then toasted & buttered the next day. My husband has also eaten it with cheese and an apple.
The recipe for this Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf is shared below, and I do hope you make it and enjoy it as much as we have, Karen
Ingredients
- 1lb (450g) strong white bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2oz (60g) butter
- 1oz (30g) white caster sugar
- 1oz (30g) fresh yeast or 15g dried yeast
- 1/4 pint (150ml) warm milk
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 3 tablespoons currants
- Little fresh nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons candied lemon peel, or freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 egg, beaten with a teaspoon of water for the glaze
Instructions
1. Sieve the flour, and salt into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and the dried yeast.
2. Add the tepid milk and the beaten egg to the flour mixture, mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the currants, grated nutmeg and lemon peel into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the buttered/greased mixing bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel (or a shower cap) and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.
5. Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knock back the dough.
6. Then divide it into 3 pieces. Shape the 3 pieces into long strips, then plait them into a 3-strand plaint, turning over the ends of the plait to secure both ends.
7. Carefully place onto a baking sheet, cover with a clean tea towel and allow to prove and rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
9. Brush the beaten egg over the whole plait as a glaze, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden-brown, and when turned over and tapped underneath, it will sound hollow.
10, Remove from the baking sheet, and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
11. Serve warm, sliced and spread with butter, or serve toasted, sliced and spread with butter.
12. NB: If you have a bread machine, you can start the dough in the machine up to the second proving stage. Add the dried fruit 5 minutes before the end of kneading or when your bread machine beeps.
Notes
Background:
These plaits were served at farmhouses at harvest-time when many well-earned celebrations took place.
The recipe was originally published in Northumbrian and Cumbrian Recipes, in 1971, by Patricia Donaghy, and was called "Northumbrian Harvest Tea Cake".
This recipe for Northumbrian Harvest Tea Loaf, is an adaptation from Elizabeth David and her wonderful book, English Bread and Yeast Cookery.
In 1956 the Dalesman published an article, ‘After the Harvest’, by Cyril Swales describing the Mell-Supper tradition after harvesting at Fylingdale in the Robin Hood’s Bay area of North Yorkshire. It described harvesting by hand in the 19th century by the local community and about the Mell celebrations that followed a successful harvest.
You can read it here: Mell Suppers
Source: Dalesman October 1956, vol. 18, no.7, p.353.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 224Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 42mgSodium 138mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 7g
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