Vintage Condensed Milk Fruited Scone Loaf

 

I really love Vintage Recipes. I have several vintage cookbooks and they are the pride of my collection. Every now and then I will see one, and if it is good shape, I will snap it up.

They are filled with lovely recipes, most of which really stand up to the test of time.  This recipe for this Fruited Scone Loaf hails from the 1950's.   It was first published in the Woman's Weekly Magazine from 1956. 

The original recipe called it a cake, but it is a very dense and crumbly cake, much more like a scone and so I have relabeled it as a Scone Loaf.

 

 

It is the perfect type of bake that would typically have been meant to enjoy with a hot cup of tea at mid morning or mid afternoon break. I would imagine it also graced many a supper/tea table through the years.  

Not overly sweet, it is sweetened only by the use of sweetened condensed milk as well as plenty of sticky sultana raisins and candied glace cherries, which stud the loaf throughout.  

It is a sturdy loaf, with a very scone line texture.  Meant to be cut into slices and served spread with softened butter. Cups of tea go very well.

Do not confuse sweetened condensed milk with evaporated milk. They are not the same thing.  Evaporated milk is milk which has been heat treated to remove half of the water. It is often used interchangeably with cream and when re-constituted can be used just like regular milk.

Many people use evaporated milk in their teas and coffees. I do use it a lot in cooking.

Sweetened condensed milk is also milk which has been heat treated to remove some its water, but that is where any similarity to evaporated milk ends.  

Once the water has been removed in sweetened condensed milk, a large amount of sugar is added and it is heated even further to create a thick, sweet and sticky milk product that is beautiful to be used in baking and other recipes such as candies and fudge.

I have been known to eat it with a spoon.  I think it is really lucious.

In this loaf it is used to create a bit of moisture, as well as sweetening it.  Not cloyingly so, but delicately.  Further sweetness comes in the form of the raisins and cherries.

It goes together very quickly and easily, in much the same way as a scone dough.  It is a bit stickier than a scone dough however with the end result being a beautifully sturdy loaf that slices beautifully and is simply delicious.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VINTAGE CONDENSED MILK FRUITED SCONE LOAF

Very simple, humble, every day, store cupboard ingredients. Six simple ingredients. The original recipe used margarine, but my modern sensibilities won't allow me to use that. I use all butter in it's place.

• 1/3 cup (75g) cold butter
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 TBS (225g) self-raising plain all-purpose flour (see note)
• 1/2 cup (75g) sultana raisins
• 1/3 cup (73g) glace cherries, halved
• 6 TBS (125g) sweetened condensed milk (add water to make up to 1/4 pint (1/2 cup/150ml)
• 2 large free range eggs, beaten

Do make sure you use sweetened condensed milk, NOT evaporated milk.  They are not interchangeable, and not even closely similar to each other. I always have one or two cans in my larder.

You can use ordinary raisins instead of sultanas.  You can also use maraschino cherries instead of glace cherries. Simply dry them really well prior to using.

I just use plain salted butter. It works perfectly fine.  If you want you can use margarine in its place as that was the original intention.

 

HOW TO MAKE VINTAGE CONDENSED MILK FRUITED SCONE LOAF

This is really very simple to make. The hardest part is rubbing the butter into the flour.  (In other words, not hard at all.)

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 4 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the long edges for ease in lifting out.

Measure the flour into a bowl and drop in the butter. Rub the butter in using your fingertips until the mixture has the consistency of sand.

Stir in the sultanas and halved cherries.

Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, water and eggs together in a beaker. Add to the dry mixture and stir in to give you a soft, slightly sticky, dough. It will be stiff.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, leveling off the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Leave to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift out and allow to cool completely. Serve cut into slices with some soft butter for spreading.

Notes

You can easily make your own self rising flour. For every cup needed add 1 cup flour (140g) and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. I make my self rising flour up 4 cups at a time. It always gets used. I never have a problem using it up.

 

Do note that this is not meant to be like a cake. It is not soft and light, or even really tender and moist. It very much has a scone-like texture, which makes it perfect to enjoy with hot drinks.

If you are looking for something really old fashioned, that isn't overly sweet and that can be enjoyed with a hot drink, you have come to the right place. This really fits the bill.

If you are a fan of the Teatime Treat, you might also enjoy the following bakes:

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN CAKE - This is probably one of the best homemade muffin cakes that you would ever want to bake and eat. Not only does it have a beautiful tender crumb, but it is filled with ripe plump sweet berries. It has a very moreish buttery crumble topping and a sweet vanilla glaze. 

STRAWBERRY MACAROON SLICES - These moreish bars have a rich buttery vanilla shortbread base, topped with sweet strawberry jam with a coconut macaroon layer being baked on top.  Altogether they make for a most delightful teatime treat that everyone loves.  Perfect for Elevenses,  for wrapping up and sticking into lunch boxes, enjoying during your afternoon break, or for afterschool with a nice cold glass of milk.  

Yield: 1 (9 X 4-inch) loaf

Author: Marie Rayner

Vintage Condensed Milk Fruited Scone Loaf

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 55 Min

This fabulous scone loaf is beautiful sliced thin, spread with butter and then served with a hot cup of tea. It is filled with lots of lovely sultanas and candied glace cherries. There is no processed sugar in the loaf. It is sweetened only with a small amount of sweetened condensed milk.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (75g) cold butter
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 TBS (225g) self-raising plain all-purpose flour (see note)
• 1/2 cup (75g) sultana raisins
• 1/3 cup (73g) glace cherries, halved
• 6 TBS (125g) sweetened condensed milk (add water to make up to 1/4 pint (1/2 cup/150ml)
• 2 large free range eggs, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 4 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the long edges for ease in lifting out.
2. Measure the flour into a bowl and drop in the butter. Rub the butter in using your fingertips until the mixture has the consistency of sand.
3. Stir in the sultanas and halved cherries.
4. Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, water and eggs together in a beaker. Add to the dry mixture and stir in to give you a soft, slightly sticky, dough. It will be stiff.
5. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, leveling off the top.
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Leave to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift out and allow to cool completely. Serve cut into slices with some soft butter for spreading.

Notes

You can easily make your own self rising flour. For every cup needed add 1 cup flour (140g) and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. I make my self rising flour up 4 cups at a time. It always gets used.

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