Lethargic Man (anag.)

A little while ago, liv posted about how she was going to start trying to bake, and would blog the result. I replied in a comment:

I should use this post as a kick to jumpstart my plan of trying to make teacakes: something I miss as none of the kosher bakeries around here make them. (Also something I'd like to introduce aviva_m to.)

liv replied "Ooh, home-made teacakes, that sounds an excellent idea! Do write it up if you get round to doing that, it would be really interesting to know how it goes." So here's my report.

Only I didn't make teacakes in the end. I intended to a week and a half ago on Sunday, but it was hot and sunny so I went to the park instead, and then, seeing that the forecast for last weekend was going to be hot too, I thought I'd make what my family has always called malt bread (but the rest of the world calls malt loaf—possibly it's another north/south thing?) instead, as that could be enjoyed cold, in the park.

I had a poke around online for different recipes, and after looking at two or three, chose this one, on the grounds that it involves soaking the dried fruit in hot black tea, which I thought would appeal to liv (and also nicely solves the question of whether it should be הַמּוֹצִיא or מְזוֹנוֹת).

And the result: Very nice indeed, though perhaps slightly less malty and a lighter colour to how I remember it, and I think it would have benefitted from smaller and perhaps less fruit (currants rather than raisins). Although the reaction of aviva_m and curious_reader (both foreigners) afforded an answer to the question on the recipe page:

This malt loaf is absolutely delicious served cold with a scraping of butter. It really doesn’t need the butter but then again – what has need got to do with it?

Answer: Putting butter on it, and calling it malt loaf/bread helps us Brits convince ourselves that it's a species of bread product, and not actually a fruit cake!