SCRUMMILY YUMMY, A 'LOAF' MADE WITH 'TEA'!! (Yorkshire Tea Loaf)

Member Name: totalserenity

Product:	Yorkshire Tea Loaf
Date:	27/05/09 (179 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: GORGEOUS FRUIT LADEN TREAT THAT IS LITERALLY GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT!

Disadvantages: HIGH IN CALORIES AS IT DOES CONTAIN A FEW OF LIFE'S FATTENING GOODIES...

Do you want to know what the major highlight of last week for me?

Well dooyoo?!

I went into near apoplectic ecstatic shock at seeing the most scrumptious quality 'Yorkshire Tea Loaf' there is on sale for £1.21, which is a third off its normal retail prices of £1.82 in Morrisons!

There I stood clapping greedy little hands with glee, as I utterly adore this gorgeously succulent tea time treat with a steaming hot cup of good old Cha to wash it down nicely, 'Mm mmm'!

Goth-Zilla, my wonderfully unique Cyclops-One-Eyed Emo-fringed teenage daughter, just stood looking at me with a 'particular' look of distain usually only kept for certain ceremonial occasions - such as Parents Consultations Meetings at School - or when I've just dyed my hair back to its usual vibrant Auburn burnt orange coloured state (she finds my chosen hair shade a personal abomination...which only encourages me all the more!).

But do you know what, folks?

After 20% plus of last week's shop dedicated solely to my darling offspring's inimitable tastes in vicarious foodstuffs, I reckoned I was entitled to at least one special titbit of my own that would last me a wee while if kept in an airtight environment...

Skipping neatly past how mundane my life must be to get so excited over an occasional treat - and onto the real crux of the matter as to why I got so giddy over this 'Taylors of Harrogate' specially delicious 'fruit cake infused with Yorkshire tea', please read on and see why I regard this vine fruit flavoured block such a delight to eat!

Being a total tea body by nature, I am a fan of pretty much all things 'Yorkshire' purely on the grounds of being 'Patriotic'.

However, as a lover of this maker's wonderfully blended tealeaves unique pure tang, as well the diluted version that is infused into this 400 gram rectangular slab - why this flavoursome addition to their company's family can do no wrong in my eyes!

Containing no added colours or flavourings in Betty Taylor's recipe cake, there is however the preservative Potassium Sorbate - which obviously enables my particular product to have a shelf life of 'BBE 29 June 09'.

The fruit laden cake comes in a foil-lined outer plastic container, and is presented inside within a delightfully decorated quaint brown parchment-lined cardboard 'loaf tin'.

The wrapper itself shows a reduced illustration of the actual cherry and vine fruit packed loaf, sliced to show off the tasty ingredients it's made up of...
With the famous Yorkshire Tea logo set with a capital letter T with a gold label stating 'Tea Loaf' underneath; there is a write up on one side of the packaging giving a customer free phone care line plus a company address in case of any queries, as well as the fact this item is made in a factory environment which also uses nuts for any allergists.

'This delicious tea loaf was made in Harrogate by our skilled bakers, who take pride in their work and use the best quality ingredients. You won't find any unnatural flavours of colours in this cake, just lots of lovely things like butter and fruit soaked in a strong infusion of Yorkshire Tea', is part of the blurb on the back panel of this wonderful baked cake.

A list of the ingredients is also found here, including wheat flour and brown sugar which gives this tea loaf its lovely light golden brown/caramel tint.

An 8% tea infusion gives the 22% mixed vine fruits (currants, raisins and sultanas) their luscious plumpness; along with mixed spices to add their own extra essence to the mix.

Glace cherries are found in abundance throughout this delicacy's slices, the cake's softly risen texture aided by both the addition of free range eggs - plus by the raising agent Sodium Bicarbonate.

If you are tempted to try this treat you must already know by its very nature it's not a 'diet' food, as each 100 gram part contains 349 calories; nevertheless, 5% protein gives it some nutritional clout...honest!
Alongside a carbohydrate ratio of 60.3 gram and total fats of 14.7 gram - which sadly means I can't point out per portion what this would cost me on my Weight Watchers plan as it doesn't state the 'saturated fats' percentage...

Aw, shame that *wink wink*!

On opening my goody I felt like a kiddie at Christmas - the faint aroma of the delicate mixed spices tantalising my taste buds into anticipatory action!

An overwhelming smell of seductive flavours to come then eminates from the carton, as I gently entice the loaf ever so carefully from its incarcerating plastic prison...

The loaf looked medium brown and rather glazed on its top surface, presumably from the brown sugar that has caramelised during the cooking process.

On cutting into one soft-crusted end of the aprox 7" in length by 3" in width slab, it is surprisingly crumbly in texture, almost giving one the feeling it will collapse into a golden cake-nuggety heap if too much pressure is applied to the culinary creation!

The lovely light brown colour is one of this loaf's favourite highlights to me - the visual aesthetics of the product almost as appetising as the actual taste sensation!

Now each piece can either be eaten alone - or if you are feeling a tad naughtier a slather of good quality butter can be lovingly applied to this beauty's moist surface; or even a slither of your favourite cheese if you are that way inclined...

It is of course 'The Law' to accompany your luxuriant treat with a nice steaming hot beverage of choice to do this indulgence true justice between warm, invigorating sips!

As a whole the ingredients work remarkably well together; this tea loaf, surprisingly, really is the next best thing to a home made confectionery.
The fruits steeped in the superior quality Yorkshire tea are plump and delicious, the sweetness of the dried vine seeds are rejuvenated back into vivacious life by the moisture that has permeated within!
The glace cherries add an extra chewy dimension to the already sweet flavour - and it has to be said you need a naturally sweet tooth to enjoy the glucose/fructose level within...

Little fragments forever fall as you bite into the soft centre of said cake, crumbs cascading waiting for you to finger meld them back together into a taste bud tempting miniscule morsel after the rest has -as if by magic- suddenly disappeared!

Betty Taylor's uniquely created cake is simply wonderful!

Lip-lickingly light and fluffy, moist but not soggy; rich but not cloying, satisfying with a natural aftertaste reminiscent of those home-baked desserts your Gran hopefully used to make.

If you have never tried this Yorkshire edible gem please do, it is worth every penny - even at full price!

There is even a 'Betty's by Post' website dedicated to mailing out all the company's wonderfully diverse cakes found at: www.bettysbypost.com, where this loaf can be purchased for £3.25.
Although at a hefty £7.00 UK P&P, I think I'll stick to buying mine directly via supermarkets, thank you!

All that is now left to do is to award a succulent, tea soaked sweet 5 stars to a fabulously dainty delight.

Thank you Taylors of Harrogate for delivering a treat that is literally good enough to eat!

PS
***
Being a fan of fruit cake in general, one of my early reviewed covers a recipe for a fat free version of this sweet treat for the healthy eaters amongst you :o)

Summary: I THINK THIS IS A FABULOUSLY TASTY CAKE TO HAVE IN THE CUPBOARD AS A STANDBY FOR UNEXPECTED GUESTS!