STICKY SEEDED MALT LOAF
A cold winter’s afternoon, almost dusk, is the time I need a slice of malt loaf. Cut thick and buttered, it is deliciously nostalgic. It occurred to me that the basic loaf could be embellished with seeds and more dried fruits, to give a treacly, almost cake-like bread suitable for eating with cheese, in the way an Eccles cake can be eaten with Cheddar.
Preparation 20-25 minutes Cooking 1 hour Makes 1 loaf
150G MALT EXTRACT, PLUS EXTRA TO FINISH 100G LIGHT MUSCOVADO SUGAR
2 TBSP BLACK TREACLE
250G PLAIN FLOUR
1 TSP BAKING POWDER
50G ROLLED OATS
50G PRUNES, STONED WEIGHT
125ML BLACK TEA
2 EGGS
100G SULTANAS OR RAISINS
3 TBSP PUMPKIN SEEDS, PLUS EXTRA TO FINISH
1 TBSP LINSEEDS, PLUS EXTRA TO FINISH FULL-FLAVOURED BLUE CHEESE, TO SERVE
1 You will need a deep, rectangular cake tin measuring 20cm x 9cm lined with baking parchment. Set the oven at 160°C (140°C fan) gas mark 3.
2 Gently warm the malt extract, muscovado sugar and black treacle in a small saucepan, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Combine the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and oats in a large mixing bowl. Cut the prunes into small pieces and stir them in. Make the tea. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork.
3 Pour the warm malt and sugar mixture into the flour together with the tea and the beaten eggs. Then fold the sultanas, pumpkin seeds and linseeds into the batter.
4 Scoop the mixture, which will be soft and runny, into the lined tin. Bake for 1 hour, until risen and lightly springy to the touch.
5 Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin. While the cake cools, brush the surface with a little more malt extract and sprinkle with the extra pumpkin seeds and linseeds. Leave to thoroughly cool before slicing and serving with blue cheese.