General Chat

Has anyone ever used malt extract in rich fruit cakes to darken them? On the radio yesterday a woman from Saindburys was on about natural colours in their foord products and then the interviewer went on to interview a man at a malt making plant and her recommended malt extract in cakes and home made bread. I bought some when I went shopping because I' making a birthday cake , but it's full of sugar ....... what do you think? Sorry that should be FOOD products.

Mum used to use very dark sugar..............can't remember the name of it and a spoonful of black treacle in her fruit cakes.

They were delicious....................excellent cook, my Mum was.

xx

In my long gone Mum's adjustments to the BeRo book receipe for Christmas Cake, she added 'Bisto' to darken the mixture. Can't remember the quantities, as my brother has the book.

Elisabeth
x

I usually use black treacle in xmas cakes and years ago when available liquid gravy browning.

I dont know about using it in cakes but my dad used to give this to us on a spoon every day i loved it. you have just fetched back some memories thankyou.

The only malt I had as a kid was cod liver oil of malt yuck.

I make malt loaves with loads of malt extract in, get it from Holland and Barrett, makes fabulous malt loaves, bit like the Sorreen, only better.
Gravy browning is burnt sugar, caramel, and you can still get it.

Rosalind

Oh I remember the cod liver oil and malt, and Virol, was that the same thing?
Lizx

Hi Liz, No virol was meant more for babies they used to put it on dummies until someone decided it rotted teeth and wasn't a good thing. you'd see babies with it all round their mouth !

You can still get gravy browning from supermarkets.
I use it,as I make my gravy the old fashioned way with the meat juices,and add flour,or cornflour to make very tasty gravy,with a little browning.
I use black treacle in Christmas cakes.
So I would say you can use any of the above suggestions.
Brenda x x

Hi
Like Rosalynd I also make Sticky Malt Loaves with Malt Extract. It is becoming very expensive to buy lately.
I have also used it in Fruit Cakes and they turn out really moist and have a lovely flavour. Also in your fruit cake when it says add water I add Fruit Juice instead you get an even fruitier fruit cake

from Jackie

Well I remember having both at some stage,the school doctor told my mum I was 'wiry' cos I was such a skinny little thing - I was, honest - so she was trying to build me up I think. All it did was store all the sugar up and jump out at me years later, am not so much wiry now as huge cable lol
Lizxx

Well ladies, I've made the cakes two, one for me and OH same ingredients but smaller , used malt and black treacle cut right down on sugar, so will be able to give you the verdict tomorrow.