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Cornish saffron tea bread

Slices of Cornish saffron tea bread on pewter plate. For Cornish saffron tea bread recipe.

It has been suggested that the Cornish were trading their tin for saffron with the Phoenicians as early as 400BC.  Certainly, by the tenth century they were importing saffron from Moorish Spain in exchange for tin.  The cultivation of saffron was introduced to England in the fourteenth century and was grown in Cornwall around Stratton in the northeast of the county.  While, in the eighteenth- century, saffron fell out of favour because its labour-intensive production made it too expensive, the Cornish continued to grow it and use it to flavour their breads and cakes until, in the middle of the 20thcentury Anatto (a food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree in Mexico and Brazil) was used as a cheaper substitute.  Saffron was also grown extensively in East Anglia but there doesn’t seem to be a tradition of flavouring cakes with it in those counties.

Equipment

  • Small saucepan
  • 1 litre capacity loaf tin
  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring jug
  • Sieve
  • 2 Large mixing bowls
  • Cling film
  • Clean tea cloth
  • Pastry brush
  • Cooling rack

Preparation method

Day 1

  • The night before you want to make the bread, warm the milk in the saucepan until almost hot and add the saffron. Cover and leave to infuse overnight.

Day 2

  • The next day, grease the loaf tin with lard.
  • Heat the saffron milk to 30C/86F, transfer to the measuring jug and whisk in the yeast and teaspoon of sugar. Leave to stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
  • Sift the flour, salt and spices into the large mixing bowl and rub in the fats to a breadcrumb consistency. You can use a food processor to do this to save time but you will need to transfer the mixture into a large bowl once it is processed.
  • Add the sugar and stir in thoroughly.
  • Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mixture.
  • Using your hands bring all the ingredients together into a soft dough.
  • Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until silky and elastic.
  • Wash and dry the mixing bowl and lightly oil before placing the dough in it. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for an hour or two or until doubled in size.
  • Turn the dough out onto the lightly floured work surface and knock back. Form into a shape that will fit the loaf tin making sure you push the dough into all the corners.
  • Place the dough in the tin.
  • Cover with the clean tea cloth and leave to rise for an hour, or until the dough reaches the top of the tin.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
  • Once the loaf has risen place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile place the milk and sugar for the glaze in the small saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
  • As soon as you take the tea bread out of the oven, brush with the glaze.
  • Leave to stand in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto the cooling rack and leave to cool completely before cutting into slices.

Note: I prefer to knead by hand, but you may prefer to use a dough hook attachment in a stand mixer.  Just take off a couple of minutes from the recipe’s kneading time if you use one.
For tips and advice see my guide on making bread
 
More Cornish recipes
Cornish apple and onion pie
Cornish fairings
Cornish pasties
Helston pudding
Stargazy pie

Norman and Medieval

Serves:
10
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 150 g whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp saffron threads
  • 7 g dried yeast
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 340 g plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 40 g butter
  • 40 g lard or vegetable shortening
  • 40 g caster sugar

For the glaze

  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Cornish saffron tea bread
Serving Size
 
62 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
215
Percent of Daily Value*
Fat
 
8.1
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
3.9
g
24
%
Cholesterol
 
14
mg
5
%
Sodium
 
133
mg
6
%
Potassium
 
64
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
31
g
10
%
Fiber
 
1.1
g
5
%
Sugar
 
5.3
g
6
%
Protein
 
4.2
g
8
%
Calcium
 
24
mg
2
%
Iron
 
0.4
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Keywords

Saffron

© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace