Sticky rye pear & ginger loaf
The addition of autumnal fruit and sweet, warming spices to this deliciously moist rye loaf makes it a wonderful breakfast option – or teatime treat.
Makes 1 large loaf
2 tsp butter or oil for your loaf tin 150g rye sourdough starter - or7g instant yeast for the dough 300g rye flour, plus extra for dusting 2 tbsp freshly ground ginger 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves Freshly ground seeds from 8 cardamom pods 1 tsp sea salt 6 tbsp maple syrup or molasses 150ml water 3 pears 125g walnut halves, roughly chopped
1 To get 150g starter for this loaf, mix 4 tbsp rye (or white) sourdough starter with 75g dark rye flour and 150ml water. Whisk until smooth. Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours.
2 Oil a large loaf tin (roughly W13cm x L26cm x D8cm). Mix the sourdough starter or yeast with the flour, spices, salt, syrup or molasses and water to form a soft, sticky dough. Grate two pears and fold in with the walnuts.
3 Spoon the dough into the oiled loaf tin – don’t fill more than ¾ full, as it needs room to rise overnight. Flatten the dough with a spatula and sprinkle a little flour on top. Cover and leave in a warm place for 8 hours.
4 Preheat oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas 8, 20 mins before baking. Slice the remaining pear vertically and arrange overlapping slices on top, and drizzle over a little honey or molasses.
5 Bake for about 45 mins, but check after 30 mins and if too brown, reduce oven temperature to 190C/Fan 170C/ Gas 5 for the last 15 mins. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.