What...no plums?! (Soreen Lincolnshire Plum Fruit Loaf)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Soreen Lincolnshire Plum Fruit Loaf
Date:	08/04/09 (543 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty and filling

Disadvantages: Quite more-ish

Being pregnant, I'm increasingly finding myself attracted to all manner of sweet treats in which I wouldn't normally indulge. I know I shouldn't as I don't want to excessively pile on the pounds, but as I'm the one carrying the baby lump around, I feel that I deserve the odd treat!

I've always been a fan of Soreen Malt Loaf as it reminds me of my childhood. We always had some in the cake tin, ready to serve with a slither of butter. So, when I saw that Soreen now offer other varieties of loaves/cakes for around 89p each, I couldn't resist! On offer (BOGOF) at Tesco, I decided to try a Soreen Cinnamon and Raisin Loaf and also their Lincolnshire Plum Fruit Loaf - the latter being the subject of this particular review.

Described as a richly spiced fruit loaf with sultanas, cherries, currants and citrus peel (but curiously no plums!) I thought this cake sounded rather delicious and I wasn't disappointed...

The size of the loaf is just the same as the original Malt Loaf but once you peel back the wrapper, you'll find that it's much paler in colour. Appetising pieces of fruit can instantly be seen across the surface - deep brown sultanas and red cherries glistening through the nicely browned crust. And I must say that the initial smell is very enticing too; a rich fruitiness accompanied by the quite prominent aroma of the spices and hint of citrus.

The product has a similar feel to Malt Loaf - quite firm to the touch. In fact, it actually appears to be quite hard and weighs heavily in the hand. This got me a little worried as I thought that the overall texture would possibly be a bit too tough for my liking. But, slicing through the cake (I find that a sharp, serrated knife used with a 'sawing' motion is most effective as it doesn't squash the slices whilst cutting) I could immediately tell that once past the exterior crust, the cake is lovely and moist. It's by no means a light and crumbly cake such as a Victoria sponge - it's a great deal thicker, heavier and almost 'stodgy' in comparison, making it much more substantial. As with a Malt Loaf there is a certain degree of scrumptious chewiness to the texture...particularly if you find yourself with an end piece. The cake tends to stick to your teeth somewhat but in my opinion that simply adds to the enjoyment!

The Soreen Lincolnshire Plum Loaf contains generous helpings of juicy fruit, quite evenly spread throughout. Cake mixture can sometimes be a bit temperamental when it comes to ingredients such as fruit as it's not always possible to ensure that it's mixed thoroughly enough. Plain patches can sometimes be found in a cake once it has been baked. This product seems to be successful in that respect though...and I've now sampled quite a few to date, each with the same results!

The blend of flavours tastes very pleasant and I find that the different fruits compliment each other perfectly. Combined with the hint of mixed spice (which isn't quite as rich as what the product description might suggest) a lovely balance is created. Following the serving suggestions it's a loaf which is equally nice however you choose to serve it - either plain and simple slices, smeared with some butter or lightly toasted. A touch of jam or marmalade can really emphasize those fruity flavours too!

Although the packaging clearly states that the cake doesn't actually contain any plums, I thought that the name may simply be suggesting that a flavour of plums is present - but surprisingly, it's not! So why is it called 'Lincolnshire Plum Fruit Loaf' then? Let's google it to find out...

According to Soreen, this product is baked to a traditional recipe called 'plum duff'. I can't find any particular regional reference that specifically relates to Lincolnshire but it's thought that generally in the 17th century, plums or prunes were used in many fruit puddings. These were gradually substituted with sultanas and raisins but the original name of the pudding remained - reminding people of their former ingredients. The recipe apparently led to the creation of Christmas Pudding in the 1800's too. The husband of Queen Victoria had a huge appetite for 'plum duff' and requested a much richer version as a Christmas treat. And so Christmas Pudding was born!

So there we are. Perhaps not a complete explanation as to the origins of the name of this product but it at least offers a slight insight. And to be honest, I'm not really bothered - all I know is that this loaf is delicious! I find it perfect as a quick afternoon snack at work. As well as being tasty it helps to keep my energy levels up when I can feel myself flagging. And as a bonus, the nutritional content is not bad - 95% fat free too! I therefore don't feel guilty about scoffing 2 or 3 slices to keep me going. Based on an 8th of a loaf nutrition details are: Calories - 65 (3% of your guideline daily amount), Sugar - 5.4g (6% of GDA), Fat - 0.9g (1%), Saturates - 0.1g (1%), Salt - 0.1g (1%).

Some allergy advice and warnings are featured on pack...contains Gluten and Whey (from Cows Milk) and may also contain cherry stones, although I've never come across any. The loaf is suitable for vegetarians and it's also completely nut free as it's not even produced in a factory which handles nuts. Soreen advise that the product should be consumed within 2 days of opening...not a problem for me (greedy guts) but in my opinion, another couple of days doesn't affect the loaf. Perhaps it's just better served toasted in the latter days. And lastly, the loaves tend to have a use by date of approximately one month but they are suitable for home freezing (on day of purchase - eat within 3 months). I've never actually tried this though.

More information about this and other products in the range can be found on the soreen.com website. If you'd like to experiment with something a bit different a recipes section can even be found. For example, if you fancy venturing down the savoury route, why not try grilling Lincolnshire Plum Fruit Loaf with ham and cheese, then serving it with chutney. I haven't tried this yet but when baby and my tastebuds give me a savoury shout, I think I'll give it a whirl!







Soreen Lincolnshire Plum Fruit Loaf ingredients:
Wheat Flour, Water, Sultanas (12%), Glace Cherries (6%) (contains: Glucose Syrup (16%), Colour E127 and Preservative E202), Currants (3.5%), Golden Syrup, Sugar, Vegetable Fat, Mixed Citrus Peel (1.5%), Malt Flour, Wheat Gluten, Dried Whey (from Cows Milk), Salt, Mixed Spice, Yeast, Preservative E282, Emulsifier E471, Flavouring

Summary: A fruity plum loaf...with no plums!